Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde Convenes Emergency Meeting Over Shivaji Statue Collapse
Mumbai, 29th August 2024: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde convened a late-night meeting on Wednesday with senior state government and Navy officials to address the collapse of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Sindhudurg district. The incident, which occurred two days prior, has become a source of significant embarrassment for the Mahayuti government, particularly as assembly elections approach. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has seized on the issue, criticizing the government and fueling protests.
The high-level meeting included Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Iqbal Singh Chahal, Director General of Police Rashmi Shukla, Additional Chief Secretary (Public Works) Manisha Mhaiskar, and Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development) Asim Gupta, among others. Vice-Admiral Ajay Kochar and Rear Admiral Manish Chadha also participated.
Earlier in the day, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar publicly apologized to the people of Maharashtra for the statue’s collapse. Shivaji Maharaj is a deeply revered figure in the state, and Pawar assured citizens that those responsible for the incident would be held accountable.
The 35-foot statue, commemorating the 17th-century founder of the Maratha Empire, had been installed at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg district’s Malvan tehsil. It collapsed on August 26, just nine months after it was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The state government has emphasized that the statue’s design and construction were the responsibility of the Navy, and a thorough investigation has been ordered. In a statement released on Tuesday, the Navy confirmed that a team, alongside state government experts, had been deployed to assess the cause of the collapse and to initiate repair and restoration efforts as soon as possible. Navy and Public Works Department (PWD) officials have already visited the site.
Sindhudurg police have filed charges against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil, both of whom were involved in the project. The state PWD has alleged that poor-quality construction was to blame for the statue’s failure.
This incident has ignited a political storm, with the opposition MVA calling for the resignation of Chief Minister Shinde and holding the Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP coalition government accountable for the debacle.
