'Shivaji sculptor was close to RSS', alleges Maharashtra Congress leader
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole has alleged that the sculptor of the 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort in Malvan, Maharashtra, had ties with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The statue collapsed on August 26, less than a year after Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled it, prompting the ruling government and opposition in Maharashtra to point fingers at each other.
Patole refutes claims of sculptor's connection with Rahul Gandhi
"The artist Jaydeep Apte had no experience of making a statue of such a scale. Apte is associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh... Someone told me that the artist is close to Rahul Gandhi," Patole said. Patole's statement came in response to Sudhir Mungantiwar, the state cultural affairs minister, who had suggested that Apte was close to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He emphasized the need for verification and criticized what he called a new trend of making baseless allegations.
Statue collapse due to 'poor quality' construction
The state public works department has attributed the statue's collapse to substandard construction and rusted nuts and bolts. This revelation has fueled widespread anger across Maharashtra, with opposition parties demanding Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's resignation before the upcoming assembly elections. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut claimed that corruption during its construction led to the statue's collapse, and called for Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's resignation over this issue.
Opposition parties stage protests, demand action
The statue's collapse has been described by the opposition as an "insult to the legacy" of the 17th-century Maratha emperor. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Ajit Pawar, organized silent protests in Pune and other parts of western Maharashtra yesterday. They are demanding action against those responsible for this incident. Meanwhile, Sindhudurg police have filed an FIR against Apte and arrested structural consultant Chetan Patil in relation to the statue's collapse.
