Malvan, a picturesque coastal town, became the epicenter of a fierce political clash on Wednesday, following the collapse of a bronze statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on 26 August.
The incident has sparked a heated confrontation between the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the ruling Mahayuti faction near the Rajkot Fort.
Insights
The MVA, led by prominent figures including Congress Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Ambadas Danve and Aditya Thackeray, and Nationalist Congress Party’s Jayant Patil, organized a large procession through Malvan.
The demonstrators, waving saffron flags and chanting slogans, accused the Mahayuti government of corruption related to the statue’s construction.
In response, a sizable contingent of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Mahayuti supporters, including former union minister Narayan Rane and his son Nilesh Rane, rallied against the MVA, resulting in a near-total shutdown of the town.
Tensions escalated as both sides exchanged verbal jabs and engaged in direct confrontations.
The situation became particularly volatile when Aditya Thackeray and Vijay Wadettiwar attempted to inspect the statue crash site.
Mahayuti activists, led by Narayan Rane, blocked their path, leading to a standoff that strained local police forces.
Security personnel had to create a protective cordon around Thackeray, Danve, Wadettiwar, and Patil to prevent further escalation.
The MVA accused the Mahayuti of mishandling the statue’s construction and criticized BJP Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for shifting blame to the Indian Navy.
The MVA’s demands included a resignation from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, filing FIRs against state and central authorities, and calling for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the matter.
As the dispute over the statue now concealed under a white sheet to deter curious onlookers intensifies, it has become a flashpoint in the lead-up to the upcoming Assembly elections.
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