'MVA Never Respected Shivaji Maharaj,' Says Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis On The Day Opposition Holds Protest Over Statue Collapse

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday (September 1) said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) never respected Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj even as leaders and party workers from the opposition alliance came out on streets of Mumbai to protest against collapse of Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg district. Fadnavis called the agitation politically motivated.

"This agitation is completely political. Be it Maha Vikas Aghadi or Congress party, they never respected Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Nehru ji insulted Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in The Discovery of India. Will Congress and MVA apologise for it? In Madhya Pradesh, the then CM Kamal Nath demolished the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj with bulldozer. Even years after independence, the same Congress taught us that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj looted Surat. He never looted Surat. People of Surat erected a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj there. Will Congress apologise for it?" Fadnavis said as quoted by news agency ANI.

Fadnavis was supported by Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) general secretary and MP Sunil Tatkare who said that politicisation of the incident is inappropriate.

"It is unfortunate that the incident took place, but Maha Vikas Aghadi is politicizing this. It is inappropriate. The Prime Minister, Chief Minister and both Deputy Chief Ministers have apologised. So I don't think it is right to politicise it," he said.

Police tighten security

Mumbai Police deployed more personnel in light of MVA's agitation on Sunday. The MVA's protest march was to start from Hutatma Chowk near Churchgate station and end at the Gateway of India.

There is a political stir in Maharashtra currently due to collapse of the Shivaji Maharaj statue in the Sindhudurg district on August 26. The statue was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi just a few months ago. After angry reaction from the public in the state, PM Modi had to personally apologise. The unveiling ceremony of the statue was attended by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as well.

Chetan Patil, the structural consultant for the construction of the statue, has been arrested and an FIR has been lodged under sections 109, 110, 125, 318, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).