Modi sorry for Shivaji statue collapse, attacks opposition over Savarkar remarks

Mumbai: In a bid to put an end to the controversy over the collapse of the statue of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Malvan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday apologised for the incident.
Addressing a rally in Palghar after laying the foundation stone of the ₹76,200-crore Vadhvan port, Modi said, “For me and my colleagues, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not a name or a king, but a revered deity. Today, I bow my head at my revered deity’s feet and apologise. I also apologise to all those who worship Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. I know their sentiments are hurt.”
The prime minister’s apology came after the collapse of the 35-foot statue at Rajkot Fort on Monday during a spell of gusty winds sparked a huge political row in Maharashtra ahead of the assembly elections later this year. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti alliance for erecting a substandard statue and accused it of corruption. Modi had unveiled the statue on Navy Day in December 2023.
After apologising, Modi hit back at the Opposition, saying his values were different from those who keep abusing and insulting Hindutva ideologue Veer Savakar without any regret. “They trample upon the feelings of nationalists and are not ready to apologise [for abusing Savarkar]. They are ready to fight in court. The people of Maharashtra should know the culture of those who don’t regret insulting such a great man. My values are such that the moment I landed here, I apologised to my revered deity.” The comments were an apparent dig at the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, who is fighting a court case for allegedly defaming Savarkar.
Modi also claimed that when he was declared the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate in 2013, the first thing he did was to go and pray at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Memorial in Raigad. “I prayed like a devotee and started a new journey of serving the nation,” he said.
The Opposition, meanwhile, said that a mere apology from the prime minister was not enough and asked for those responsible for the statue collapse to be held accountable.
“Although the prime minister has apologised, it was not an unconditional apology,” said former Maharashtra chief minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan. “He brought Savarkar in between. The prime minister and the BJP want to make an event out of the Maharaj’s statue. The people of Maharashtra are angry and an apology alone will not help.”
Jayant Patil, the president of the Maharashtra unit of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar), wrote on X: “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj never forgave corruption and negligence. Our Maharashtra follows the path shown by him. Therefore, sir, Maharashtra cannot forgive this mistake. Atonement is inevitable.”
Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra legislative council Ambadas Danve said that the apology from the prime minister had come too late. “Maharashtra will not accept it now. During Shivaji’s rule, the punishment for such crimes was to chop the hands off. Now, the people of Maharashtra will cut the political hands of the Modi government in the state and will defeat the Mahayuti government in the assembly elections,” the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said.
At the Palghar rally, Modi also made a pitch for the Mahayuti government ahead of the assembly polls, saying that a developed Maharashtra was an essential part of his government’s resolve for Viksit Bharat or developed India.
“Over the past 10 years, we have taken continuous major decisions for Maharashtra’s progress. To ensure that the state and the entire country reap the benefits of Maharashtra’s capacities, the foundation stone for Vadhvan port has been laid today.”
Amid protests from local fishers, villagers, and environmentalists against the construction of what would be India’s largest port, the prime minister said the country needed a big and modern port and Palghar was the most apt location for the mega project. He added that the project could create 1.2 million job opportunities.
Modi also accused the MVA of trying to halt the port’s construction. “Some people never wanted the project to take off. In 2014, you gave us the opportunity to work in Delhi. In 2016, when [then chief minister] Devendra Fadnavis was in power, the work on the project was taken seriously. It was decided to build the port in 2020 but the government changed. For two and a half years, no work took place. Who has an issue with Maharashtra’s development? Who are these people who have a problem with providing employment? Some people want to keep Maharashtra backwards,” he said.
Highlighting that India is the world’s second-largest fish producer, the prime minister said his government is focused on developing coastal villages and strengthening fisherfolk’s cooperative societies.
“Our government is committed to empowering women and ensuring prosperity through constant endeavours. It is actively promoting women’s involvement in fish production. Through the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, we have empowered thousands of women, enabling them to contribute significantly to this sector,” he said.
Modi also laid the foundation stones of other development projects in Palghar, including 218 fisheries projects worth ₹1,560 crore. Maharashtra governor CP Radhakrishnan, chief minister Eknath Shinde, his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, and union shipping minister Sarbanand Sonowal were present at the function held in Palghar.