Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Deepak Kesarkar on Tuesday (August 27) said that something good might come out of the collapse incident of Shivaji Maharaj statue and suggested erecting a new 100-foot statue at the same location. He also asked the Opposition not to play politics on the issue. The Opposition has been going hard at the government ever since the information about the fall of the statue was out in the open.
The 35-foot statue of the founder of the Maratha empire, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil of Sindhudurg on Navy Day (December 4) last year, collapsed on Monday afternoon amid strong winds.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had said that the statue was designed and constructed by the Indian Navy.
What did the minister say?
Kesarkar, who hails from the coastal Sindhudurg district, emphasised that the public sentiments cannot be eased by the investigation alone, which the state government will undertake.
"Until a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is installed in the Arabian Sea, the largest statue of the Maratha founder should be built in Malvan. The statue should be around 100 feet tall," Kesarkar told reporters.
“Possibly, something good might come out...that is why this accident occurred,” he said, referring to the collapse of the statue.
Case registered against contractor
Police have filed a case against the contractor, Jaydeep Apte, and the structural consultant, Chetan Patil.
The charges include sections under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) related to culpable homicide, endangering life or personal safety, attempt to murder, and cheating, as well as Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act for mischief causing damage to public property.
Facing criticism from the Opposition, Chief Minister Shinde has assured that the statue will be rebuilt.
(With PTI inputs)
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