Tearing into the Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra over the collapse of a 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray today claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s apology on the statue collapse smacked of arrogance and added that the people of the state had rejected it.

Addressing a gathering during the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s “jode maro” protest — meaning hit with footwear — over the collapse of the Maratha ruler’s statue, Mr Thackeray drew a parallel between the statue’s collapse and water dripping into the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the new Parliament complex.

“Did you notice the arrogance in the (Prime Minister’s) apology? It smacked of arrogance,” the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said. “For what was the PM apologising? For the statue he inaugurated eight months ago? For the corruption involved? The MVA cadre must work together to defeat the forces that have insulted Shivaji Maharaj. The collapse of the statue is an insult to the soul of Maharashtra.” 

The Prime Minister has apologised to the followers of Shivaji for the collapse of the statue, which has snowballed into a massive political row months before Maharashtra votes in Assembly polls.

“Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not just a name or a king. For us, he is our deity. Today, I bow my head at his feet and apologise to my deity. I also apologise to the people hurt by the collapse,” the Prime Minister said Friday.

The BJP and its ally, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, have slammed the Opposition’s protest and accused them of politicising the issue even after the Prime Minister’s apology.

Responding to the charge, Mr Thackeray said, “BJP is saying that we are doing politics, but we are fighting for the state’s glory. We have come to the Gateway of India to say ‘get out’ to the Mahayuti government.”

Top leaders of the INDIA bloc in Maharashtra — Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar and Nana Patole took part in the protest march that started at Hutatma Chowk and reached Gateway of India.

“The collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue in Sindhudurg is an example of corruption. It is an insult to all Shiv premis (followers of Shivaji).”

Mr Patole, Maharashtra Congress chief, said the Opposition had sought Shivaji’s forgiveness for allowing such a “Shiv drohi” government to come to power. “We have taken a pledge to never let it happen again,” he said.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has hit out at the Opposition and said Shivaji cannot be a political issue. “This is a matter of identity and faith for us. The incident that happened was unfortunate. The opposition is doing politics on this. Two JCBs were brought to break the statue of Shivaji Maharaj in Karnataka, and that statue was uprooted, those who did this should be beaten. Instead of doing this, they (MVA) are protesting here, but the people of Maharashtra are wise, they are watching. In the coming elections, people of Maharashtra will beat them with shoes,” he said.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, too, has said the Opposition is politicising the issue. “For more than 50 years, leaders of the Congress and NCP are insulting Shivaji Maharaj. Indira Gandhi never spoke a word about Shivaji Maharaj from Red Fort, will the Congress apologise? PM Modi has apologised, but Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders are politicising the issue because the polls are approaching.”

The Shivaji statue at Sindhudurg was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi just 8 months back. The project was handled by the Navy in coordination with the state government. Police have arrested the structural consultant for the project and its contractor. They have been charged under sections relating to attempt to murder, culpable homicide and act endangering life and safety of others.

The rape and murder of a doctor at a government hospital in Kolkata had shamed humanity and “some stray voices” are aggravating the pain, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar said today, launching a fresh attack on Rajya Sabha MP and Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal.

Earlier, the Vice-President said at a public event that someone holding a position in the Supreme Court bar and also a member of Parliament had said the Kolkata incident was a “symptomatic malaise” and suggested that such incidents are commonplace. The remark was aimed at Mr Sibal, the Supreme Court Bar Association president who is also representing the Mamata Banerjee government in the sensitive rape-murder case. Mr Sibal purportedly used the expression in a resolution by the Supreme Court Bar Association, of which he is the president.

Addressing an event at AIIMS Rishikesh today, the Vice-President said incidents like the one in Kolkata put the entire civilisation to shame. “When humanity has been shamed, there are some stray voices, voices that cause concern. They only aggravate our excruciating pain. To put it mildly they are adding salt to our injured conscience. What do they say, ‘it is a symptomatic malaise, a frequent incident’. When it comes from someone who is the Member of Parliament, a senior advocate, then the culpability is of extreme degree,” he said.

“There can be no alibi for such kind of demonising thoughts. I call upon such misguided souls to revisit their thoughts and publicly tender apology. This is not an occasion where you should be looking through political prism. This political prism is a dangerous one, it kills your objectivity,” the Vice-President added.

The Vice-President underlined the need for safety of doctors at the workplace. “A doctor can help only to a limit. A doctor cannot convert himself to god. He is next to God, so when somebody dies, out of emotive feelings and uncontrolled feelings, doctors are not given the treatment they deserve… .security of the doctors, nurses, compounders, health warriors must be impregnably protected.”

The Vice-President also criticised the “selective silence” of NGOs. “Certain NGOs on road for drop of an incident, drop of a hat are in Silence mode. We have to question them. Their silence is much worse than the culpable act of perpetrators of this heinous crime on August 9 2024. Those who seek to play politics and earn brownie points, are not responding to the call of their conscience,” he said.

“It is not an occasion to earn Brownie points, score political mileage. This is non partisan. It requires bi-partisan concerted efforts. There is a need for convergence of all stakeholders in democracy, to come together on one platform,” he added.

Earlier, President Droupadi Murmu had expressed her anguish at the crimes against women. Saying that “enough is enough”, she had said it is time for India to wake up to the “perversion” of crimes against women and counter the mindset that sees women as “less powerful, less capable, less intelligent”.