Collapse Of The Shivaji Maharaj Statue Triggers Massive Political Uproar In Maharashtra

A statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha Empire, collapsed on Monday at a fort in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district. The statue, unveiled by PM Modi last year during Navy Day celebrations at Rajkot Fort in Malvan, has become the center of political controversy. The opposition criticized the state government, while Sindhudurg police registered an FIR against the contractor and structural consultant. The 35-foot statue collapsed after the district experienced heavy rains over the past three days. Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde blamed strong winds for the incident. Meanwhile, the opposition continued to attack the Mahayuti coalition government in Maharashtra and the BJP over the statue's poor construction quality.