Mahavikas Aghadi Stages Protest on MG Road in Pune, Demands Resignation of CM Shinde Over Statue Collapse

Camp, 2nd September 2024: The Mahavikas Aghadi and INDI Alliance held a protest today in Pune on Mahatma Gandhi (MG) Road in the Camp area against both the Maharashtra State Government and the Central Government. The protest was in response to the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue at Rajkot Fort in Malvan, Sindhudurg, due to heavy rains.

Key opposition members from Pune participated in the protest, including Kasba Peth MLA Ravindra Dhangekar, Arvind Shinde, Pune City President of the Indian National Congress, Sanjay More of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Prashant Jagtap from the Nationalist Congress Sharadchandra Pawar Party (NCP-SP), as well as Ankush Kakade, Adv. Abhay Chajed, and Aaba Bagul.

During the protest, slogans such as “Not the statue, the identity collapsed,” “No pardon for a traitor of Shiva,” “Woe to the traitor of Shiva who insults Chhatrapati,” and “The Mahayuti Government will fall at a speed of 45 km per hour” were chanted. Additionally, the protesters demanded the resignations of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.

Shiv Sena’s Sanjay More said, “The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at both the Center and in Maharashtra has insulted Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, even within the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). The BJP seeks votes in Shivaji Maharaj’s name while simultaneously insulting great leaders. The Rajkot Fort, built by Maharaj, has withstood the sea’s waves for 350 years. Yet, the statue of Maharaj erected on this fort could not survive even for 266 days. This clearly shows the extent of corruption involved. Therefore, this government should resign immediately.”

NCP-SP’s Prashant Jagtap expressed similar sentiments, comparing the situation to the Statue of Liberty, which stands tall despite strong winds. He questioned how a 45 km/h wind could affect Shivaji Maharaj’s statue and accused Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis of engaging in perverse politics. Congress’s Arvind Shinde also raised concerns about why no Hindutvawadi organization has spoken out about the collapse of Maharaj’s statue, despite protesting over minor issues in the past. Shinde demanded strict action against those responsible for the statue’s collapse.