The collapse of a 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Sindhudurg has ignited a political debate in Maharashtra, causing significant embarrassment for the state government. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis addressed the issue, stating, “The collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue is a very sad incident for all of us, but the politics being played over this is even more unfortunate. This statue was not a sculpture prepared by the state government; it was created by the Navy."
"The statue's collapse is a sad event for all of us. We have resolved, with the Navy's assistance, to install a grand and sturdy statue there. I appeal to everyone not to politicise this issue,” he added.
However, Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole accused both the central and state governments of corruption, linking it to the statue’s collapse. “The way the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was vandalized is because of their corruption. This government knows nothing except corruption and has consistently insulted the ideals of Shivaji Maharaj,” Patole said. He demanded accountability from government officials present at the statue's inauguration, including the Prime Minister and Chief Minister, and insisted that the FIR should target the government as well.
The 35-foot statue was inaugurated in December 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Navy Day.
The local police have already filed an FIR against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) following the statue’s collapse.