Clashes Erupt in Maharashtra Over Chhatrapati Statue Collapse

Mumbai: The collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue continues to have its reverberations in Maharashtra as the supporters of Shiv Sena (UBT) and BJP leader Narayan Rane clashed with each other at Malvan in Sindhudurg district on Wednesday. While Rane was seen threatening to kill those trying to physically confront him, a police constable was injured in the clashes.

The clash was triggered by the near-simultaneous arrival of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and Rane at the Rajkot fort in Malvan, where the statue had collapsed. As the leaders of opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance were protesting at the statue site, Rane, who is also a Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg MP, and his elder son and former MP Nilesh Rane reached there at the same time because of which the police denied the BJP leader access to the site. This led to a heated exchange with Rane supporters shouting slogans and attempting to force their way in.

Once close allies in the Shiv Sena, the Thackerays and Ranes are now staunch political rivals. Supporters of Rane chanted slogans against Thackeray, while Thackeray’s supporters retaliated with slogans against the former union minister. This led to a violent clash between the two groups, which included physical altercations involving stone-throwing. The police and security personnel struggled to bring the situation under control amid heightened tension.

Narayan Rane, visibly angered by the confrontation, was seen threatening to beat the MVA workers. “Let the police allow MVA people to attack us. I will beat them (the workers) by entering their houses during the entire night. I won’t leave them,” said Rane.

A police constable, identified as Sambhaji Patil, was injured when some persons hurled stones. He was rushed to the primary health centre in Malvan, a police official said.

Aaditya termed the ruckus ‘unfortunate’ which displays immaturity. “I have told my party workers not to indulge in politics at the fort of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” he said.

Meanwhile, the MVA alliance has declared a ‘joote maro’ protest against the state government starting from September 2. The decision to hold the protest was made during a meeting at Uddhav Thackeray’s residence in Mumbai, attended by NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and state Congress president Nana Patole. Both Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray alleged corruption in the statue’s installation.

Uddhav Thackeray criticised the disruptions caused by BJP supporters at Rajkot Fort and said, “Those creating obstructions in the MVA’s morcha today in Malvan against the collapse of Shivaji Maharaj’s statue are betrayers of the warrior king.”

The 35-foot statue of the 17th century Maratha empire founder, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4 last year at Rajkot fort on the occasion of Navy Day celebrations, collapsed on August 26. The statue collapse incident snowballed into a political controversy with the opposition MVA targeting the Mahayuti government. An FIR has been filed against two people — Jaydeep Apte, proprietor of Artist company and structural consultant Chetan Patil — in the collapse incident.