MUMBAI, 29 AUGUST, 2024 (GPN): NCP workers on Thursday held demonstrations in various districts to protest the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Malvan despite being a part of Maharashtra govt, after the party chief, Ajit Pawar, apologised to the entire state taking the onus of the incident as a part of the ruling dispensation.

In a significant development that has shaken Maharashtra’s political landscape, a statue of the revered Maratha leader, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, “Prima facie it appears that there was gross negligence regarding following the norms while installing the statue.sparking widespread outrage. The Statue was unveiled around nine months ago on Dec 4 last year by PM Modi on the occasion of Navy Day at Rajkot fort in Malvan in Sindhudurg strict, collapsed on Monday (Aug 26) The incident quickly escalated into a political crisis, with opposition leaders staging protests across the state, and senior figures from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition rushing to the scene to express their condemnation.”

Even before the MVA leaders could arrive at the site in Malvan, BJP leader Narayan Rane and his son had already made their presence felt. Tensions ran high when Aditya Thackeray, a prominent leader of the MVA, arrived, leading to a heated confrontation between supporters of the Rane and Thackeray camps.

As the political drama unfolded on the ground, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar addressed the incident during a public rally in Latur. With a tone of deep regret, Pawar offered an apology to the 13 crore citizens of Maharashtra on behalf of the government. Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, he assured the public that those responsible for the mishap would be identified and brought to justice. “I promise to take strict action against the culprits,” Pawar said, stressing the importance of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s enduring legacy and the profound impact his life has on the people of Maharashtra. The NCP Ajit Pawar faction has decided to hold a silent protest across the state over the incident.

Ajit Pawar tweeted on X:

मालवण येथील राजकोट किल्ल्यावर उभारण्यात आलेला युगपुरुष छत्रपती शिवाजी महाराजांचा पुतळा कोसळल्याची दुर्दैवी घटना काही दिवसांपूर्वी घडली. आज घटनास्थळी भेट दिली, आढावा घेतला. किल्ल्याची देखील पाहणी केली. शिवराय आपला स्वाभिमान आहेत, आपली अस्मिता आहेत. याठिकाणी लवकरच महाराजांचा मजबूत… pic.twitter.com/df5PmLfTxx

— Ajit Pawar (@AjitPawarSpeaks) August 30, 2024

Pawar’s speech at the Jan Samman Yatra wasn’t just about the statue incident. He took the opportunity to highlight the government’s recent accomplishments, particularly the decision to waive electricity bills amounting to Rs 15,000 crore. “Farmers should not worry about their pending electricity bills. We are committed to solving their problems,” Pawar declared, reinforcing his image as a leader who delivers on promises. He also noted that the state’s budget, totaling Rs 6.5 lakh crore, includes significant allocations for women’s welfare under the “Ladki Bahan” scheme, which he vowed would be sustained over the next five years.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), on Thursday, organized a ‘Self-Suffering Silent Protest’ across the state, including Mumbai. After the unfortunate incident involving the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the Rajkot Fort in Malvan, there is a widespread outrage across Maharashtra.

On Wednesday, NCP’s National President and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar publicly apologised to the state’s 13 crore citizens. Today, the self-suffering protest was held in front of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue in Chembur, Mumbai. Another protest was held at Juhu Chowpatty. The protest was conducted under the leadership of NCP state president MP Sunil Tatkare and Mumbai divisional president Sameer Bhujbal. While the Chembur protest was led by working president Narendra Rane, the Juhu Chowpatty was led by working president Shivajirao Nalawade.

Present at the Chembur protest were state general secretary Santosh Dhuwali, state spokesperson Sanjay Tatkare, South Central Mumbai district president Siddharth Kamble, South Mumbai district president Mahendra Pansare, North Central Mumbai district president Arshad Amir, senior leader Bapu Bhujbal, state vice president Nandkumar Katkar, women’s working president Aarti Salvi, and state spokesperson Sana Malik Sheikh, while at Juhu Chowpatty, senior leader Dinkar Tawde, district president Ajay Vichare, women’s working president Manisha Tupe, among many others, were present.

Following the protest, NCP also submitted a memorandum to the district collector demanding strict action against those responsible.

The Mahavikas Aghadi held a public protest in Thane against the government following the collapse of a newly installed full- length statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort in Malvan, Sindhudurg district. The incident, attributed to shoddy construction, has sparked outrage among the leaders of Mahavikas Aghadi, who condemned the government’s handling of the project.

In a symbolic gesture, the leaders paid tribute to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Masunda Lake by performing milk abhishake. The protestors demanded the immediate arrest of Jaideep Apte, a 24-year-old self-proclaimed sculptor from Kalyan, and called for an impartial investigation into the statue’s collapse.

Prominent figures at the protest included Shiv Sena leader and former MP Rajan Vichare, MLA Jitendra Awhad, Thane Congress district president Vikrant Chavan, and other Mahavikas Aghadi officials, who collectively voiced their frustration with what they termed an “extra- constitutional” government. The leaders urged the Police Commissioner to take swift action to ensure accountability and justice in this matter.