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A joint technical committee headed by the Indian Navy with representatives from the Maharashtra Government and technical experts is being formed to investigate the unfortunate damage to the Statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj installed at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg, subsequent to the exceptional weather conditions in the region, said an official release from the Indian Navy.
The Statue was unveiled on December 4, 2023, as part of the Navy Day celebrations conducted, for the first time, in Sindhudurg, aimed at honouring the legacy of the Maratha Navy and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj towards maritime defence and security, and its historical linkage with the modern Indian Navy. The project was conceptualised and steered by the Indian Navy, in coordination with the state government which also provided funding for it. A 35-foot-tall statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the state's Sindhudurg district collapsed on Monday afternoon. The Shivaji statue was inaugurated in December 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Navy Day. Meanwhile, Ajit Pawar led NCP party workers staged a silent protest in Pune on Thursday regarding the incident of a Shivaji Maharaj statue collapse. Various opposition leaders including Shiv Sena (UBT) Uddhav Thackery questioned the BJP-led Mahayuti government over the incident. "Two days ago people saw how the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj fell and what kind of statements people are making. Rajya Bhavan is on the seashore but even the Governor's hat never flew and they say that the statue of Shivaji Maharaj fell due to strong winds, how is this possible?" said Uddhav Thackeray. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had said that the "statue fell and was damaged due to strong winds." Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole hit out at the state government, claiming that both the government at the centre and the state knew nothing except corruption. Earlier Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had extended an apology to the people of Maharashtra on Wednesday following the collapse of the statue at Rajkot Fort. The deputy CM also assured strict punishment for those responsible. (ANI)
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