Sambhaji Chhatrapati Criticizes Government on Substandard Shivaji Maharaj Statue

Former Rajya Sabha member Sambhaji Chhatrapati criticized the government, claiming that the Shivaji Maharaj statue inauguration lacked proper protocols. He expressed disappointment to PM Modi and requested a response. Other leaders echoed his sentiments, condemning political motives and poor-quality execution.

Former Rajya Sabha member Sambhaji Chhatrapati on Wednesday expressed his dissatisfaction with the recently inaugurated statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, stating that it fell short of expected standards. He revealed that he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, criticizing the lapses in protocol by the authorities.

"This is a very sad incident. When it was inaugurated on December 4, the Prime Minister had also come. On December 12, I wrote a letter to him that the statue that was erected was not up to the mark. And today after 7-8 months this happened. The protocols that should have been considered were not taken," he said. Chhatrapati stressed the need for the government to adhere to standards and provide explanations for the oversights.

Prahar Janshakti Paksh leader Bacchu Kadu commented that people are increasingly detached from Shivaji Maharaj's ideology, leading to such issues. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray accused the BJP of corruption and criticized them for blaming the Indian Navy amid the controversy surrounding the statue's quality.

The 35-foot statue, inaugurated by PM Modi on Navy Day in December 2023, has led local police to file an FIR against contractor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.