PM Modi Apologises For Shivaji Statue Collapse: 'Nothing Is Bigger Than Our Deity'

After constant jabs and attacks from Opposition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today apologised for the collapse of the 35-foot Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg.

During an event in Palghar, he stated, "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not just a name for us... today I bow my head and apologise to my god Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj."

The PM said, "In 2013, BJP named me as PM candidate. The first thing I did was sit before Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's samadhi at Raigad as a devotee and started on a new journey."

He added, "Those who consider Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as their deity and have been deeply hurt, I bow my head and apologise to them. Our values are different. For us, nothing is bigger than our deity."

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also addressed the incident, asserting that he would not hesitate to touch the feet of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj 100 times and apologise for the statue's collapse if necessary.

The statue, unveiled by Prime Minister Modi last year at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg, fell on August 26, reportedly due to strong winds following heavy rainfall and gusty weather in the region.

During the event in Palghar today, where he made these remarks, PM Modi also criticised the Congress and other Opposition parties for their frequent attacks on freedom fighter and Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar and his ideology.

He said BJP's respect for Shivaji Maharaj and contrasted this with others, saying, "Our values ​​are different, we are not those people who keep abusing and insulting the great son of Mother India, the son of this land, Veer Savarkar. They are not ready to apologise, they are ready to go to the courts and fight."

The statue's collapse prompted criticism from the Congress, with Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad questioning the Prime Minister's role and saying, "It is clear that there is corruption in it. Modi Ji, when will you apologise?"

Earlier in the event, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the Vadhvan Port project, which is estimated to cost around Rs 76,000 crores.