Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has launched a scathing critique of the political leadership following the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg district. Raut has attributed the incident to systemic corruption and has demanded a high-level accountability for the alleged mishandling of the project.In his statement, Raut emphasized the severity of the issue, suggesting that corruption played a pivotal role in the statue's collapse. "There has been corruption, this is a very serious issue," Raut declared, condemning the mismanagement and negligence that led to the structural failure. The statue, a symbol of historical pride, was severely damaged, leading to a public outcry and demands for a thorough investigation.
Raut specifically targeted Ajit Pawar, a prominent political figure, accusing him of being implicated in the corruption scandal. "Ajit Pawar has said that he will do agitation... what will happen by it? He should resign," Raut asserted. His comments indicate a belief that Pawar's proposed measures are insufficient and that his resignation is warranted to address the corruption scandal effectively. A structural engineer, who was named in an FIR registered over collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue at Fort Rajkot in Maharashtra's Sindhudurga on Wednesday claimed that he was not the structural consultant for the project and had only worked on the platform. Chetan Patil, the structural engineer, spoke to Marathi news channel ABP Majha, after he was named in the FIR along with contractor Jaydeep Apte, saying that he did not have anything to do with the statue.
The engineer said that he had simply submitted the design of the platform to the Indian Navy through the public works department. The 35-foot statue, which was unveiled only nine months before this incident by prime minister Narendra Modi, collapsed on August 26 and has since then ignited outrage.Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced the formation of a joint technical committee between the Navy and the state government late Wednesday to investigate the causes behind the collapse.