Mumbai (Maharashtra), August 30: During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Maharashtra, the state Congress launched a protest against both the state and central governments regarding the collapse of the Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg.
Youth Congress leaders and party workers were detained by Mumbai police while demonstrating against Modi's visit and calling for a public apology for the statue's collapse.
The Congress put up several posters across various locations, featuring images of Modi inaugurating the statue alongside pictures of the damaged structure.
Mumbai Congress President and Lok Sabha MP Varsha Gaekwad protested at Shivaji Park in Dadar with a miniature statue of Shivaji Maharaj, demanding an apology from the Prime Minister. Gaekwad questioned Modi about the bhumi-pujan for a statue in the Arabian Sea and criticized the collapse of the Rajkot Fort statue in Malvan, attributing it to alleged corruption.
Earlier, Chetan Patil, the structural consultant for the collapsed statue, was arrested in Kolhapur and handed over to Sindhudurg Police. A contractor has also been arrested in connection with the incident.
The 35-foot Shivaji Maharaj statue, unveiled on December 4 last year, collapsed on August 26. The statue was part of Navy Day celebrations aimed at honoring the Maratha Navy's legacy and its connection to the modern Indian Navy.
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