Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue collapse: In a major development in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, after the fall of a 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, an FIR has been lodged in Sindhudurg Police against the contractor named Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil over the accident. It has invoked sections of BNS dealing with negligence and other connected offenses.
Statue Inaugurated Eight Months Ago
The statue was inaugurated only eight months ago on Navy Day and dedicated to the people of Sindhudurg. The Indian Navy was associated with the making and installation of the statue and has promised a probe into the incident. Through a statement, the Navy promised that a team, together with the State Government and specialized authorities, will work to determine the causes of the event and to make the pertinent repairs for the recovery of the statue as soon as possible.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the statue must have fallen due to damaging strong winds of around 45 km/h and assured that the Maharashtra government is committed to unearthing the precise causes behind the fallen statues and promised reinstallation of the statue at the same spot. Shinde said the incident was bad and unfortunate, but the state government will take steps to address the issue.
Chief Minister Shinde to Lead Investigation
Public Works Minister Ravindra Chavan has visited the site, and on his behalf, Chief Minister Shinde will head an investigation into the collapse of the statue. The investigation will try to ascertain the reasons for the fall and make sure repetitions of such cases do not occur in the future.
The collapse has drawn its own share of political reactions, with Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dube slamming the ruling Mahayuti Government. He said the “apparent irregularities and corruption linked with the installation of the statue are utterly condemnable.” He also drew in questions at the accountability of contractors, government employees, and Public Works Department officials who were involved in the job to be answerable to the situation, stating that the people of Maharashtra are going to answer this in the elections that are to come. It is this event that has caused a great concern and condemnation by underlining the fact that this is an incident where intensive investigation and accountability should be attached to the public project.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Leader Sajnay Raut Criticizes Hasty Statue Inauguration
Sajnay Raut says, “The haste with which the statue was inaugurated, keeping the Lok Sabha elections in mind, I feel that it was done in a very poor manner. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was insulted for elections and votes. The installation by Modi ji’s hands shows that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj did not want this.”
Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MP Supriya Sule posted on X, saying that, “The work of erecting this statue was assigned to a contractor from Thane district… We demand that this person and their organisation be blacklisted by all departments… A thorough investigation is essential to determine why the quality of this statue’s work was so poor and to address other related issues.”
