Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, during a public meeting in Kolhapur, took a sharp jab at the BJP over the collapse of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He criticized the ruling party, stating that their “ideology is not right.” Gandhi made the remarks while unveiling a new statue of Shivaji Maharaj, accusing the BJP of not adhering to Shivaji Maharaj’s ideals. He emphasized that the fall of the previous statue symbolized the BJP’s failure to respect the true legacy of Shivaji Maharaj, which is centered on equality and justice.
Gandhi went on to argue that the ideology promoted by the BJP is contrary to the values of Shivaji Maharaj, linking these principles to the foundation of the Indian Constitution. He stated, “Shivaji Maharaj had said that the country belongs to everyone,” asserting that the Maharaj’s ideology of inclusiveness and justice is directly connected to the principles embedded in the Constitution. He contrasted this with what he described as the BJP’s efforts to undermine constitutional values.
This incident occurred after a statue of Shivaji Maharaj, unveiled nine months ago by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Sindhudurg district, collapsed in late August. The opposition has since criticized the state government, accusing it of negligence in ensuring the quality of the statue’s construction.
Rahul Gandhi’s comments come amid a highly charged political climate in Maharashtra, which is heading towards Assembly elections later this year. The elections are expected to be a contest between the Maha Vikas Aghadi (comprising the Shiv Sena-UBT, Congress, and the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP) and the Maha Yuti Alliance (comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in response to the statue collapse, issued an apology on August 30, emphasizing the importance of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to him and offering his respects.
