Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Statue Collapse: 'Don’t Politicise The Issue In The Name Of Shivaji,' Jarange Tells Mahayuti Govt & Opposition Parties

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on Sunday told the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government and the opposition not to do politics in the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and demanded strict punishment against those involved in insulting state and national icons.

Jarange, along with his hundreds of supporters, visited the Rajkot fort, where a 35-foot statue of the 17th-century Maratha warrior king, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, collapsed on August 26.

Talking to the media, Jarange said that some villagers were claiming that a fiber-like material was used in the construction of the statue. “The villagers pointed out that the winds were blowing from the west to the east, so how did the statue collapse on the west side? It should have collapsed on the east side,” Jarange said. He demanded a thorough investigation into the statue's collapse.

Jarange also demanded strict action against the culprits. “No one should be spared in this incident. The culprits should be imprisoned for life. The government should ensure vigilance over the monuments of great leaders,” he said.

Blaming both the ruling and opposition parties for playing politics over the statue issue, he said, “People are watching you. No one should use Shivaji Maharaj’s name for political gain. You are all exposed; the alliances are fighting to gain power. If these parties genuinely felt the pain of the incident, they would have looked into the details of the statue's collapse.”