A statue of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a fort in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district, collapsed on Monday (August 26, 2024). The 35-foot statue fell at Rajkot fort in Malwan around 1 pm.
While experts are ready to determine the exact cause, the official noted that the district has been experiencing heavy rains and strong winds for the past two to three days.
The statue was unveiled by PM Modi on December 4 last year as part of the Navy Day celebrations at the fort.
Soon after its collapse, opposition leaders strongly criticized both the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Center and the Mahayoti government in Maharashtra, accusing them of corruption in matters related to the statue of the warrior king, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Accused.
He pointed out that while the forts built by Shivaji Maharaj are standing strong for centuries (until today), the statue unveiled by Prime Minister Modi, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has disappeared.
“It is shameful that this government has allegedly stolen funds even in the construction of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” Leader of Opposition Vijay Vidyatiwar said, taunting the administration. He called the incident a “shameful example” of a government mired in corruption and demanded a thorough investigation.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former MP Vinayak Rawat expressed his displeasure, saying, “Maharaj, forgive us… we cannot bear your disrespect at the hands of traitors”.
Mr. Vidyatiwar demanded that the statue be immediately re-installed at the site with greater grandeur and that the contractor who disrespected the Maharaja be blacklisted.
He demanded the immediate termination of all ongoing projects associated with this contractor and urged that those responsible for disrespecting the Maharaja be held accountable and punished.
NCP (SP) working president and Member of Parliament from Baramati Supriya Sole said that when the prime minister of the country inaugurates a monument or structure, people expect the work to be of high quality. “However, the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj installed in the Rajkot Fort in Malwan fell within a year, which is an insult to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The monument was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 4 December 2023. Within a year, the statues “The collapse of the project clearly shows that the work was of low quality. This situation is a betrayal of both the Prime Minister and the public. Hence, there is an urgent need for a thorough investigation into the reasons behind the substandard work and other related issues,” he said.
Ms Sole said the task of erecting the statue was given to a contractor in Thane district, Mr Shinde's political stronghold. “It is now clear how the matter was handled. We demand that this individual and his organization be blacklisted from all future projects.
Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati, the 13th direct descendant of Shivaji Maharaj, said the statue erected hastily for the inauguration by the Prime Minister has fallen. “We had earlier written to the Prime Minister, urging him to replace the statue, which was poorly designed, lacked proper form, and was installed in a hurry. In Maharashtra, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj The collapse of the monument within a year is unprecedented. How can we talk about preserving the Maharajah's forts with any credibility?” he said.
“Now, a proper memorial to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj must be constructed at the site. However, in the rush to complete it before the elections, we must avoid repeating the same mistakes. It is very important that the monument is scientifically constructed. Be rebuilt, even if it takes a long time,” said the former Rajya Sabha MP and heir to the Kolhapur royal family.
An angry Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA, Vaibhav Naik vandalized the office of the Public Works Department at Sindhu Durg, which is responsible for the 'substandard' work. He criticized the state government for alleged poor quality of work. “The state government may be trying to evade responsibility. Those responsible for constructing and erecting the statue should be thoroughly investigated,” he said.
Maharashtra minister Deepak Kesarkar said, “I don't have all the details of the incident. However, it is important to note that PWD minister Ravinder Chavan, who is also Sindh Durg district's caretaker minister, has said that The matter will be fully investigated.
“We are committed to erecting a new statue at the same location. The statue, unveiled by PM Modi, pays tribute to Shivaji Maharaj's visionary efforts in building a sea fort. All necessary steps will be taken to resolve the matter promptly and effectively.”
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde described the incident as sad and said that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is a source of pride for all. “The statue was built and designed by the Navy. I spoke to the district collector, who told me that the statue fell due to winds of 45 kmph,” he said.
Mr. Shinde also informed that District Guardian Minister Ravinder Chavan has already reached the place on his instructions. He further said that Navy officials will reach the spot the next day. He said that the opposition has enough time to criticize but we will soon re-install a strong and magnificent statue.