Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) supremo Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray led a march of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on Sunday from Hutatma Chowk to the Gateway of India in south Mumbai in a show of unity and defiance. The protest was sparked by the recent collapse of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district, a mishap that has stirred significant political controversy.
The statue, which was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Navy Day, 4 December 2023, fell on 26 August 2024 at Rajkot Fort in Malvan tehsil, located approximately 480 kilometres from Mumbai. This incident has led to severe criticism of both the Union and state governments by the opposition.
Addressing a gathering at the Gateway of India, where the protest march culminated, Uddhav Thackeray criticised Prime Minister Modi's apology, stating, “Did you notice the arrogance in the Prime Minister’s apology? It smacked of arrogance. One deputy chief minister was smiling. The mistake (collapse) cannot be forgiven. We have all gathered here to demand 'BJP get out of India',” as quoted by news agency PTI.
Thackeray further asserted that the people of Maharashtra would never forgive the insult to the legendary Maratha warrior king, citing the statue's collapse, leakages in the Ram Temple, and issues in the new Parliament complex to mock Modi's guarantees. “For what was the PM apologising? For the statue he inaugurated eight months ago? For the corruption involved? The MVA cadre must work together to defeat the forces that have insulted Shivaji Maharaj. The collapse of the statue is an insult to the soul of Maharashtra,” he asserted.
Prime Minister Modi, during an address in Palghar on Friday, had stated, "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not just a name or a king but a deity. Today, I bow my head at his feet and apologise to my deity."
Sharad Pawar, Nana Patole At 'Jode Maro Andolan'
Sharad Pawar, speaking at the protest march, termed the collapse of the statue as a glaring example of corruption. "It is an insult to all Shiv premis (followers of the warrior king)," he stated. Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole echoed these sentiments, stating, “Much before the PM, the opposition had sought forgiveness from the emperor for allowing such a Shiv drohi (those betraying the principles of Chhatrapati Shivaji) government to come to power. We have taken a pledge to never let it happen again,” he said, adding that the PM Modi’s apology was strategically timed with an eye on the upcoming state polls.
The agitation, dubbed the 'jode maro andolan' (hitting with slippers), saw Thackeray joining Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress leaders in hitting a poster of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar with footwear.
Kolhapur Congress MP Shahu Chhatrapati, a descendant of the emperor, emphasised the importance of maintaining the dignity of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at all costs.
The protest march, which commenced shortly after 11 am and concluded at noon, was marked by the presence of several prominent leaders, including NCP (SP) Baramati MP Supriya Sule and MLA Anil Deshmukh. A bust of the legendary warrior king was placed at Hutatma Chowk, while participants carried placards denouncing the statue's collapse and shouted slogans against the Eknath Shinde government. Pawar walked part of the way before getting into his vehicle as the march progressed.