The long-pending unveiling of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue at Sector 1, Nerul took a contentious turn on Friday as the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) proceeded with its official ceremony at 5 pm, despite ongoing claims that the statue had already been inaugurated earlier by MNS leader Amit Thackeray.
The seated statue at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk had remained covered for nearly five months, causing public frustration. Last week, Amit Thackeray conducted an unveiling, asserting that the delay by authorities was unwarranted. However, the civic body pushed ahead with a formal event, attended by top political figures.
The events were held in the presence of Maharashtra Forest Minister Ganesh Naik, Belapur MLA Manda Mhatre, and Municipal Commissioner Dr. Kailas Shinde. Additional Commissioner Sunil Pawar, former MP Dr. Sanjiv Naik, former mayor Jaywant Sutar, City Engineer Shirish Ardavad, Medical Health Officer Dr. Prashant Javade, and other dignitaries were also present.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was originally scheduled to inaugurate the statue.
The statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was ceremonially worshipped by priests Krishna Patil, Dnyaneshwar Lohar, and Anant Keremani — the same priests who perform rituals at Raigad Fort. The entire square was filled with Shiv devotees, who raised spirited chants of “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki Jai” and “Jai Bhavani – Jai Shivaji.”
The statue is 12 feet tall, weighs 2.5 tonnes, and is surrounded by an aesthetic landscape created to evoke a historical ambience. Sculptures of four spear-holding Mavlas and three Mavlas with cannons have also been erected around the main statue. The artwork has been created by Prof. Moreswar Pawar of Shilpasrushti Kala Pratishthan. All necessary permissions, including from the Thane District Collectorate and other government bodies, have been obtained
The event, however, became embroiled in controversy when Thane MP Naresh Mhaske chose to skip the ceremony. Mhaske in an official statement stated that l there should be no “battle for credit” over Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and criticised the decision to hold a second inauguration. “Once a statue is unveiled, conducting another ceremony is inappropriate and only politicises a respected historical figure,” he stated.
MNS spokesperson Gajanan Kale echoed Mhaske’s position, arguing that the earlier unveiling by Amit Thackeray was valid. “Closing it again and planning another ceremony makes no sense,” he said, questioning the necessity of the civic body’s event.
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