The state government on Tuesday said the structure was built by the Navy.The Sena (UBT) chief said that the event to erect the statue of Shivaji at the fort in Malvan tehsil was held hurriedly in December 2023 to win Konkan and Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha polls.”This sin has to be exposed,” he said.Information has also come to the fore that the sculptor did not have the experience of building tall statues and was unaware of the geographical conditions of the area, claimed Thackeray.Pawar said the government cannot absolve itself by blaming the Navy as its permission is necessary to install the statue.He also alleged corruption while making this statue.”Corruption has peaked in the state,” he said, adding that the sentiments against the government are intense.Meanwhile, NCP (SP) Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule demanded the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, for his alleged failure to control the situation triggered by the collapse of the Shivaji statue.Speaking to reporters, Sule said, “I demand the resignation of Devendra Fadnavis for his failure to control the aftermath.”He should step down on moral grounds.”People are agitated because of this incident and there has been no official apology from the state government so far,” Sule claimed.The parliamentarian said it was “concerning” that the state government is squarely attributing the responsibility to the Indian Navy, which plays a crucial role in safeguarding the country from external threats.It appears the government’s focus is primarily on self-preservation and catering to preferred contractors. Individuals in positions of authority seem reluctant to acknowledge their accountabilities in such incidents,” she added.With the statue collapse threatening to snowball into a major controversy ahead of assembly polls, Fadnavis has said that the state government has decided to install a bigger statue of the 17th-century Maratha king at the same place in Sindhudurg district.
Source link
