Under fire over the collapse of a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday asserted he would not hesitate to touch the feet of the warrior king 100 times and apologise for the incident if required.&nbsp;

Talking to reporters here, Shinde said the opposition has other issues to do politics on but Shivaji Maharaj, a revered figure in Maharashtra, should be kept out of it. As the collapse of the statue four days ago in Sindhudurg district continued to generate heat, the state government set up a technical committee to find out reasons for the crash, while members of the ruling Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, staged silent protests across Maharashtra over the incident.&nbsp;

"Chhatrapati Shivaji is a patron deity of Maharashtra. I am ready to touch his feet 100 times and apologise (for the statue crash). I will not shy away from apologising. Our government functions keeping his (Shivaji's) ideals in mind," Shinde insisted.&nbsp;

His remarks come a day after Ajit Pawar apologised to the people of the state for the collapse of the structure which was installed in the coastal district's Malvan tehsil, around 480km from Mumbai. The 35-foot statue of the 17th-century Maratha empire founder installed at Rajkot Fort premises collapsed on August 26, nearly nine months after it was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, triggering a political storm in the state, which is due for polls in the next few months.&nbsp;

The state government has pointed out that the project was handled by the Indian Navy.&nbsp;

The Navy on Thursday said it conceptualised and steered the project of installing the Shivaji statue in coordination with the state government which provided funding for it. In a statement, the Navy said it remains committed to assisting in all measures to repair, restore and reinstate the statue at the earliest.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/engineer-claims-he-only-worked-on-platform-of-collapsed-chhatrapati-shivaji-statue-in-indias-sindhudurg-754189">Engineer claims he 'only worked on platform' of collapsed Chhatrapati Shivaji statue in India's Sindhudurg</a>

A statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office after Shinde held a late night meeting on Wednesday with ministers, top state and Navy officials said the government has set up a technical committee to probe reasons behind the collapse of the Shivaji Maharaj statue. The panel will comprise engineers, IIT experts and Navy officials. Shinde said two joint panels have been formed. One panel will ascertain the reasons behind the crash, while the other committee comprising experts, sculptors with experience of building Chhatrapati Shivaji statues, engineers and Navy officials will look into the reconstruction aspect.&nbsp;

"Our endeavour is to rebuild the statue," the CM maintained. Shinde said the Navy has demanded that the area where the statue was installed by cordoned off for inspection and starting rebuilding work.&nbsp;

The Navy has said the statue was unveiled on December 4 as part of Navy Day celebrations, held for the first time in Sindhudurg district. The structure was aimed at honouring the legacy of the Maratha Navy and Chhatrapati Shivaji towards maritime defence and security, and its historical linkage with the modern Indian Navy. In a related development, activists of the Sambhaji Brigade, a Maratha outfit, stated a protest outside the house of Jaideep Apte, the sculptor who built the statue, in adjoining Thane city.

Protesters accused Apte of disrespecting Shivaji Maharaj, and their demonstration included blackening his house's door, posting a "Shivdrohi" label, and breaking eggs. The NCP, a constituent of the Mahayuti government, staged state-wide protests demanding swift rebuilding of the statue. Speaking in Nanded during Ajit Pawar's 'Jan Sanman Yatra', NCP's Maharashtra president Sunil Tatkare said the collapse of Shivaji Maharaj's statue was painful, and added his party decided to protest against the incident as everyone has the right to do so.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/heres-what-led-to-the-collapse-of-chhatrapati-shivaji-statue-in-indias-sindhudurg-753625">Here's what led to the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji statue in India's Sindhudurg&nbsp;</a>

"In a democracy, everyone has a right to agitate. The incident in Malvan was unfortunate and painful. We are also agitating against it and demanding strong action against the culprits by submitting memorandums to the authorities," Tatkare maintained. In Pune, the city unit of the NCP staged a protest near a statue of Shivaji Maharaj in Shivajinagar. Speaking during the protest, NCP's city unit president Deepak Mankar urged the state government to reconstruct the statue as early as possible.&nbsp;

"For us, Chhatrpati Shivaji Maharaj is a matter of pride and a symbol of our identity," he said. In Thane, NCP spokesperson Anand Paranjape said those involved in the project, ranging from architects to government officials, must face strict action. "Even though we (NCP) are in power, the incident has caused anger to us and hence this protest," Paranjape said.&nbsp;

In Latur city in central Maharashtra, activists of NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) staged a protest against the statue collapse. Opposition party workers gathered at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk in Latur and held a demonstration against the Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP government.&nbsp;

The protest was led by NCP (SP) Latur district president Sanjay Shete. "This may be the first such instance in Maharashtra's history. In a desperate bid to gain votes before (Lok Sabha) elections, the government completed the statue work within just eight months. This hasty action has backfired on the Mahayuti alliance," Shete opined. Opposition leaders have announced that on September 1, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will take out a protest march in Mumbai against the statue collapse.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Under fire over the collapse of a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday asserted he would not hesitate to touch the feet of the warrior king 100 times and apologise for the incident if required.

Under fire over the collapse of a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday asserted he would not hesitate to touch the feet of the warrior king 100 times and apologise for the incident if required. Talking to reporters here, Shinde said the opposition has other issues to do politics on but Shivaji Maharaj, a revered figure in Maharashtra, should be kept out of it. As the collapse of the statue four days ago in Sindhudurg district continued to generate heat, the state government set up a technical committee to find out reasons for the crash, while members of the ruling Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, staged silent protests across Maharashtra over the incident. "Chhatrapati Shivaji is a patron deity of Maharashtra. I am ready to touch his feet 100 times and apologise (for the statue crash). I will not shy away from apologising. Our government functions keeping his (Shivaji's) ideals in mind," Shinde insisted. His remarks come a day after Ajit Pawar apologised to the people of the state for the collapse of the structure which was installed in the coastal district's Malvan tehsil, around 480km from Mumbai. The 35-foot statue of the 17th-century Maratha empire founder installed at Rajkot Fort premises collapsed on August 26, nearly nine months after it was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, triggering a political storm in the state, which is due for polls in the next few months. The state government has pointed out that the project was handled by the Indian Navy. The Navy on Thursday said it conceptualised and steered the project of installing the Shivaji statue in coordination with the state government which provided funding for it. In a statement, the Navy said it remains committed to assisting in all measures to repair, restore and reinstate the statue at the earliest. Also Read | Engineer claims he 'only worked on platform' of collapsed Chhatrapati Shivaji statue in India's Sindhudurg A statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office after Shinde held a late night meeting on Wednesday with ministers, top state and Navy officials said the government has set up a technical committee to probe reasons behind the collapse of the Shivaji Maharaj statue. The panel will comprise engineers, IIT experts and Navy officials. Shinde said two joint panels have been formed. One panel will ascertain the reasons behind the crash, while the other committee comprising experts, sculptors with experience of building Chhatrapati Shivaji statues, engineers and Navy officials will look into the reconstruction aspect. "Our endeavour is to rebuild the statue," the CM maintained. Shinde said the Navy has demanded that the area where the statue was installed by cordoned off for inspection and starting rebuilding work. The Navy has said the statue was unveiled on December 4 as part of Navy Day celebrations, held for the first time in Sindhudurg district. The structure was aimed at honouring the legacy of the Maratha Navy and Chhatrapati Shivaji towards maritime defence and security, and its historical linkage with the modern Indian Navy. In a related development, activists of the Sambhaji Brigade, a Maratha outfit, stated a protest outside the house of Jaideep Apte, the sculptor who built the statue, in adjoining Thane city. Protesters accused Apte of disrespecting Shivaji Maharaj, and their demonstration included blackening his house's door, posting a "Shivdrohi" label, and breaking eggs. The NCP, a constituent of the Mahayuti government, staged state-wide protests demanding swift rebuilding of the statue. Speaking in Nanded during Ajit Pawar's 'Jan Sanman Yatra', NCP's Maharashtra president Sunil Tatkare said the collapse of Shivaji Maharaj's statue was painful, and added his party decided to protest against the incident as everyone has the right to do so. Also Read | Here's what led to the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji statue in India's Sindhudurg "In a democracy, everyone has a right to agitate. The incident in Malvan was unfortunate and painful. We are also agitating against it and demanding strong action against the culprits by submitting memorandums to the authorities," Tatkare maintained. In Pune, the city unit of the NCP staged a protest near a statue of Shivaji Maharaj in Shivajinagar. Speaking during the protest, NCP's city unit president Deepak Mankar urged the state government to reconstruct the statue as early as possible. "For us, Chhatrpati Shivaji Maharaj is a matter of pride and a symbol of our identity," he said. In Thane, NCP spokesperson Anand Paranjape said those involved in the project, ranging from architects to government officials, must face strict action. "Even though we (NCP) are in power, the incident has caused anger to us and hence this protest," Paranjape said. In Latur city in central Maharashtra, activists of NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) staged a protest against the statue collapse. Opposition party workers gathered at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk in Latur and held a demonstration against the Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP government. The protest was led by NCP (SP) Latur district president Sanjay Shete. "This may be the first such instance in Maharashtra's history. In a desperate bid to gain votes before (Lok Sabha) elections, the government completed the statue work within just eight months. This hasty action has backfired on the Mahayuti alliance," Shete opined. Opposition leaders have announced that on September 1, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will take out a protest march in Mumbai against the statue collapse. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Ready to apologise 100 times for Shivaji statue collapse: Maharashtra CM Shinde; ruling NCP holds protests

In India's Maharashtra, a 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that was unveiled less than a year ago by Prime Minister Narendra Modi collapsed on Monday (August 26). Following the incident, the opposition parties&nbsp;slammed the Shiv Sena&nbsp;government — part of the Modi-led BJP-NDA alliance — for paying "little attention to the quality of work".

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:101,&quot;w&quot;:813,&quot;h&quot;:25,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1790}">Opposition blames state government</h2>

NCP (SP) state president and former minister Jayant Patil has blamed the state government — Shiv Sena, which is part of the NDA alliance — for the collapse.

"The state government is responsible for the collapse, as it did not take proper care. The government paid little attention to the quality of work. It only focused on conducting an event where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was invited to unveil the statue."

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"This Maharashtra government only issues new tenders, accepts commissions and gives contracts accordingly," he alleged.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Vaibhav Naik also criticised the state government and said that it might "try to evade responsibility".

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The 35-foot statue was unveiled in December 2023 by PM Modi. A tribute to Shivaji Maharaj's visionary efforts, it was located at a fort in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district and cost approximately Rs 3600 crores ($500 million).

While experts are still investigating the reason for the statue's collapse, PTI, citing officials, reports that heavy rains and gusty winds faced by the district in the last two to three days may be to blame.

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"I don't have all the details about the incident. However, it's important to note that PWD Minister Ravindra Chavan, also the guardian minister of Sindhudurg district, has said a thorough investigation will be conducted in the matter," said Maharashtra Minister Deepak Kesarkar.

He also said that a new statue will be erected at the same location.

"We are committed to erecting a new statue at the same location. This statue, unveiled by PM Modi, pays tribute to Shivaji Maharaj's visionary efforts in building a sea fort. We will take all necessary steps to address this matter promptly and effectively."

(With inputs from agencies)

In India's Maharashtra, a 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that was unveiled less than a year ago by Prime Minister Narendra Modi collapsed on Monday (August 26).

In India's Maharashtra, a 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that was unveiled less than a year ago by Prime Minister Narendra Modi collapsed on Monday (August 26). Following the incident, the opposition parties slammed the Shiv Sena government — part of the Modi-led BJP-NDA alliance — for paying "little attention to the quality of work". Opposition blames state government NCP (SP) state president and former minister Jayant Patil has blamed the state government — Shiv Sena, which is part of the NDA alliance — for the collapse. "The state government is responsible for the collapse, as it did not take proper care. The government paid little attention to the quality of work. It only focused on conducting an event where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was invited to unveil the statue." Also read | India to raise plight of stranded Indian migrants with Brazil foreign minister Mauro Vieira during his visit "This Maharashtra government only issues new tenders, accepts commissions and gives contracts accordingly," he alleged. Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Vaibhav Naik also criticised the state government and said that it might "try to evade responsibility". Shivaji statue The 35-foot statue was unveiled in December 2023 by PM Modi. A tribute to Shivaji Maharaj's visionary efforts, it was located at a fort in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district and cost approximately Rs 3600 crores ($500 million). While experts are still investigating the reason for the statue's collapse, PTI, citing officials, reports that heavy rains and gusty winds faced by the district in the last two to three days may be to blame. Also read | India: BJP's Rameswar Teli and Mission Ranjan Das win Rajya Sabha seats from Assam unopposed "I don't have all the details about the incident. However, it's important to note that PWD Minister Ravindra Chavan, also the guardian minister of Sindhudurg district, has said a thorough investigation will be conducted in the matter," said Maharashtra Minister Deepak Kesarkar. He also said that a new statue will be erected at the same location. "We are committed to erecting a new statue at the same location. This statue, unveiled by PM Modi, pays tribute to Shivaji Maharaj's visionary efforts in building a sea fort. We will take all necessary steps to address this matter promptly and effectively." (With inputs from agencies)

Maharashtra govt under fire after collapse of 35-foot Shivaji statue inaugurated by PM Modi last year

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Ready to apologise 100 times for Shivaji statue collapse: Maharashtra CM Shinde; ruling NCP holds protests

Maharashtra govt under fire after collapse of 35-foot Shivaji statue inaugurated by PM Modi last year