Congress Calls Out PM Modi Over Collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Statue

The Congress party has criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the collapse of a 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot fort in Sindhudurg. Congress general secretary K C Venugopal accused Modi of prioritizing personal ambitions over the Maratha emperor’s legacy. The incident has sparked political controversy in Maharashtra.

The Congress on Wednesday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue at Rajkot fort in Sindhudurg, questioning whether he would apologize to the Maratha empire's founder for prioritizing personal ambitions over the Maharaj's legacy.

The 35-foot statue, unveiled by PM Modi on December 4 last year, collapsed on August 26 afternoon.

In a post on X, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal argued that those who oppose Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's values cannot be expected to respect his heritage.

“In true Modi fashion, the priority was to hurriedly construct the statue within three months so it could be inaugurated before elections. This shoddy work cost Rs. 236 crores. Will PM Modi apologize for putting his ambitions above Maharaj’s legacy?” Venugopal questioned.

Venugopal also demanded clarity on the rampant corruption alleged during the rapid inaugurations before the 2024 elections.

Listing examples, Venugopal claimed infrastructure projects inaugurated by Modi's government for election purposes are now failing.

The statue collapse has escalated into a political controversy, with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) targeting the Mahayuti government and demanding Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's resignation.

(With inputs from agencies.)