Congress launches 'Manfi Manga Modi' campaign over Shivaji statue collapse

Four days after the shocking collapse of a 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort in Maharashtra, the Congress has launched a blistering campaign against the Modi government, demanding a public apology from the prime minister.

Inaugurated with great fanfare by PM Modi just eight months ago, the statue has now become a symbol of what the Congress describes as the "systemic corruption and incompetence" of the current regime.

On 4 December, 2023, during a visit to Malvan city in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra, Modi unveiled the statue of the revered Maratha warrior as part of the Indian Navy’s Navy Day celebrations.

“The Shivaji statue’s collapse, mere months after its grand unveiling, is a damning indictment of the widespread corruption that has taken root under Modi’s watch. This disgraceful incident is a slap in the face of Maratha pride, and the people of Maharashtra will never forgive Narendra Modi for this affront,” the Congress posted on X.

The collapse of Shivaji's statue has ignited widespread outrage, with the Congress led opposition accusing the Modi government of gross negligence and dishonoring Maharashtra’s pride.

The Congress has taken its fight to both the streets and the social media sphere, with Maharashtra Congress president Varsha Gaikwad leading the charge in Mumbai.

Gaikwad, alongside hundreds of Congress activists, was detained by the Maharashtra police as they took to the streets, demanding accountability from the government.

In a fiery post on X, Gaikwad declared, “Mother Bhavani is our faith, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is our pride. The foundation of our values lies in Babasaheb's Constitution. We will not stand by as the dignity and self-respect of Maharashtra are trampled upon. Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji!”

Gaikwad further lambasted the government, calling the incident at Rajkot Fort “utterly reprehensible and deeply shameful.” She added, “While those responsible remain untouched, the government is using the police to suppress our voices. This is an outrage.”

As the controversy intensifies, new revelations have added fuel to the fire. It has come to light that the Maharashtra Directorate of Art had originally approved only a 6-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji for Rajkot Fort, based on a clay model submitted by the sculptor.

Rajiv Mishra, the Directorate’s director, disclosed on Thursday, 29 August that they were never informed that the statue would be enlarged to 35 feet, nor that steel plates would be used in its construction details that now raise serious questions about the oversight and transparency of the entire project.

In a development that further deepens the scandal, Chetan Patil, the structural consultant responsible for the statue, was arrested by the Kolhapur Police on Thursday night.

An official revealed that Rs 2.44 crore had been transferred by the state PWD to the Navy, which had been tasked with overseeing the statue’s installation. The Navy, in turn, appointed the sculptor and consultant, and approved the final design, allegedly without informing the Directorate of the significant modifications made.

The statue’s collapse has erupted into a full-blown political crisis for Shinde government in Maharashtra, with the Congress demanding not just answers, but accountability from the highest levels of government.