'Not Political, Agitation Is For Honour Of Maharashtra': Sena UBT MP Arvind Sawant On MVA Protest In Mumbai Over Chhatrapati Shivaji Statue Collapse

Mumbai: The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) organised a protest march on Sunday from Hutatma Chowk to the Gateway of India in Mumbai in response to the collapse of a 35-foot-tall statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Sindhudurg district on August 26. This statue was unveiled during Navy Day celebrations on December 4 of the previous year by PM Modi.

The collapse of the statue has sparked outrage, leading to this protest as a means of expressing collective grief and demanding accountability. Amid this escalating tension, the Mumbai police have increased security measures across the city to manage the protest and ensure public order.

Shiv Sena UBT MP Arvind Sawant voiced strong emotions regarding the protest, stating that for many, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is akin to a deity and the statue's collapse represents a profound blow to the community's devotion, honour and self-respect. Sawant accused the political leaders who support this incident of disrespecting Maharashtra, questioning the sincerity of any apologies offered.

He highlighted the frustration felt by protesters who were being restricted by the police. "We are being stopped in our own Maharashtra by our own Police that we can't go ahead with it (the protest march)...I have never seen such helpless Police," said Sawant.

He also clarified that the agitation is not politically motivated but is instead driven by a desire to defend Maharashtra's honour. "This is not political, this agitation is for the honour of Mahrashtra which has been insulted," said the Mumbai South MP.

Fadnavis Terms Protest As Political Manoeuvre

In contrast, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis dismissed the protest as a purely political manoeuvre by the MVA and Congress. He argued that these parties have historically disrespected Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, citing examples such as Nehru's portrayal of Shivaji in The Discovery of India and the demolition of a Shivaji statue in Madhya Pradesh under the then-Chief Minister Kamal Nath. Fadnavis challenged the MVA and Congress to apologise for these past actions, implying that their current stance is hypocritical.

1st Arrest Made In The Case

Chetan Patil, the structural consultant responsible for the Shivaji Maharaj statue, was arrested from Kolhapur. The FIR filed against him includes several serious charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), indicating the legal repercussions stemming from the statue's collapse.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde addressed the incident by announcing that the state government is acting swiftly to reconstruct the statue. Shinde emphasized that the government has formed two committees: one dedicated to the statue's reconstruction and another to investigate the reasons behind its collapse.