Opposition's Strategy At Play To Turn Maharashtra Into Bangladesh?

In a tragic incident, the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, erected at the Rajkot Fort in Malvan, Sindhudurg district, collapsed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has apologised to Chhatrapati Shivaji and all those who were hurt by the collapse.

Photo Credit: PTI

On behalf of the government, the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and Guardian Minister of Sindhudurg district expressed their condolences. Criminal cases have been filed against the sculptor and structural auditor involved in erecting the statue, and an inquiry committee has been appointed.

The Navy, under whose initiative the statue was erected, also expressed regret over the incident. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde recently held a joint meeting and announced the formation of a joint committee between the Navy and the state government. Additionally, he announced that a grand statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj would be erected at the same Rajkot location.

Following this incident, the government took all necessary steps. It was natural for the opposition to condemn the incident and criticise the government. However, the way the opposition is exaggerating this incident and giving it a communal colour in the state's politics and social dynamics is disgraceful for Maharashtra. The general public feels that the level of criticism the opposition has reached against the government's functioning is unprecedented in Maharashtra's history.

Political Arena in the Sacred Land of Shivaji Maharaj

Opposition leaders such as Vijay Wadettiwar, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly; Ambadas Danve, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council; NCP leader Jayant Patil; Congress leader Satej Patil; and Aditya Thackeray of the Uddhav Thackeray faction visited Rajkot Fort to assess the situation.

So far, everything was fine. However, leaders like Sanjay Raut and Jitendra Awhad, known for their provocative behaviour, posted pictures of the fallen statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on their social media, with the sole intention of inflaming the emotions of Shivaji's followers.

Notably, none of these leaders had visited the statue for darshan after its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But after the statue collapsed, all the opposition leaders flocked to Rajkot. From the fort, Aditya Thackeray and his associates used abusive language towards MP Narayan Rane and his supporters. Party flags with torches were seen fluttering on the Rajkot Fort.

According to the residents of Sindhudurg, the hasty actions of the opposition turned the sacred land of Malvan, graced by the footsteps of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, into a political battlefield.

A Stain on the Honourable Tradition of Opposition Leaders

Maharashtra has a proud tradition of wise, intelligent, and visionary opposition leaders. The state has witnessed opposition leaders who cornered the government on issues through legitimate means. However, today's opposition leaders have tarnished this bright tradition.

While Uddhav Thackeray's group members were provoking Narayan Rane's supporters in Malvan, Maharashtra's senior-most leader Sharad Pawar, Congress president Nana Patole, and Uddhav Thackeray held a press conference in Mumbai. These leaders, representing three major parties in Maharashtra, were accused by citizens of giving a communal tone to the conference.

Trampling the Norms of Civility

Until now, no opposition leader had ever made casteist remarks against the Chief Minister or Deputy Chief Minister. However, such comments were made in the press conference of these three leaders. Cartoons and videos of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were shown, and he was mocked as a "descendant of the Peshwas." This caste-based criticism seemed to arise from a lack of other valid points against Fadnavis. For such remarks to occur in the presence of Sharad Pawar, who has been in politics for fifty years, was embarrassing for Pawar's political career.

The press conference raised suspicions that the opposition is trying to create communal tension, foster divisions among castes and incite street conflict. Sharad Pawar recently stated, "There is a fear of Maharashtra becoming like Manipur," which has been seen as significant given the current state of affairs.

The Glorious History of Shivaji Maharaj

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj united various castes to establish the Maratha empire. Maharashtra's identity today is due to Shivaji's inclusive policies. However, the opposition, who often invoke Shivaji's name, have sown the seeds of hatred and caste politics. The BJP alleges that the Congress initiated this tradition in 1948, and even after 75 years of independence, Congress leaders continue this divisive legacy.

Distorted History for Personal Gain

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj fought against the regimes of Adil Shah, Nizam Shah, Qutb Shah, and Aurangzeb. Yet, the opposition is currently trying to impose a distorted version of history that omits the mention of these Islamic dynasties for their gain. Congress and NCP leaders never had the wisdom to change the name of Aurangabad, named after the tyrant Aurangzeb who perpetrated severe atrocities on Maharashtra. Instead, the opposition appeared more inclined to praise the Mughals.

Aurangzeb is Now Glorified

Aurangzeb imprisoned Shivaji Maharaj in Agra, Shahistekhan's forces plundered the common people, destroyed numerous temples, tortured Shivaji's son Sambhaji Maharaj by gouging out his eyes, flaying his skin and beheading him. Yet, Sanjay Raut is making statements today like, "Aurangzeb never insulted Maharaj in such a manner." Those who forget the injustices done to their own king for electoral gain should be termed as the true betrayers of Shivaji Maharaj. Balasaheb Thackeray named his party "Shiv Sena" after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, but today his heirs only remember Shivaji Maharaj when it comes to statues.

Veterans in Shiv Sena express that Uddhav's newfound fondness for those who praise Aurangzeb and engage in minority appeasement politics is an unfortunate irony of Balasaheb's legacy.

Patole - Pawar - Thackeray: Beads of the Same String

MNS chief Raj Thackeray constantly criticises that since the establishment of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), casteism began to flourish in Maharashtra. Raj often targets Sharad Pawar and the organisations nurtured by him for fueling the Brahmin vs. non-Brahmin conflict. The country has witnessed multiple times that the Congress party, desperate for votes, can stoop to any level.

Now, even Thackeray has started to show such desperation for the consolidated votes received during the Lok Sabha elections. The attempt to create chaos in Maharashtra and turn it into another Bangladesh under the guise of the statue controversy has not gone unnoticed. Frequent press conferences are making this more evident, as expressed by the educated class.