Senior Maharashtra Congress leader and former MP Hussain Dalwai has criticized the state government following the collapse of a 35-foot Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg. The incident, which has caused embarrassment for the state government, has sparked political controversy.
Dalwai commented on the issue while speaking to the media, stating that better planning should have been done if the intention was to build a statue in the water. “This is stupidity. They could have done it in Mumbai if they wanted to build a statue in the water. Anyway, a decision was already being made to do so. My question is, do they even have respect for Shivaji Maharaj?” Dalwai remarked.
He further claimed that recent projects inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been plagued with problems. “Wherever the Prime Minister has inaugurated a statue, issues have followed,” he said, citing concerns about the new Parliament building and the Atal Setu bridge.
“All new constructions are facing issues. The new Parliament building has water leakage problems, and the Atal Setu bridge is also facing difficulties. The PM has not only brought these problems but has also ruined the economy and increased unemployment in the country,” Dalwai added.
The statue’s collapse has become a political flashpoint, with Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray also targeting the BJP over the incident. Thackeray linked the mishap to what he called the BJP’s “corruption” and accused the party of disrespecting Shivaji Maharaj.
In a post on social media platform X, Thackeray said, “It is unimaginable that the statue of our deity, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, would also be a subject of the BJP’s corruption.” He also criticized the BJP for allegedly attempting to shift the blame onto the Indian Navy.
The statue, which Prime Minister Modi inaugurated on Navy Day in December 2023, was intended as a symbol of pride. However, its collapse has now turned into a political embarrassment for the ruling party.