The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday (September 5, 2024) said that he wanted to know the reason why Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to apologise to the 17th-century Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for the collapse of his statue.
In a dig at Mr. Modi for his apology, the Congress leader said that an apology is only necessary when a mistake has been made. “If there’s no mistake, there’s no need to apologise. PM Modi recently apologised for the collapse of the Shivaji Maharaj statue. Why did he apologise?” he asked.
Mr. Gandhi was addressing a public meeting at Kadegaon in Maharashtra’s Sangli district, a traditional Congress bastion, after unveiling a statue of late party leader Patangrao Kadam, the founder of the Bharati Vidyapeeth. The event was organised by Patangrao Kadam’s son Vishwajeet, an MLA, to mark Teacher’s Day celebrations.
Mr. Gandhi further speculated on the reasons behind the apology, stating, “There could be three main reasons: first, the contract was awarded to an RSS affiliate; second, corruption in the process; and third, while they built the statue, they failed to ensure it remained standing.”
He demanded that PM Modi should apologise to every Maharashtrian for the collapse of the statue, and also say sorry for demonetisation, anti-farmer bills, and GST.
The 35-foot statue unveiled by Mr. Modi at Rajkot Fort on Navy Day (December 4, 2023), collapsed on August 26, which sparked a confrontation between the ruling Mahayuti and the Opposition MVA in the State ahead of the upcoming Assembly election. The Prime Minister during his subsequent visit to the State on August 30, offered his apology to the iconic king, referring to Shivaji Maharaj as his “deity”, and also apologised to the people whose sentiments were hurt. “For me, my colleagues, and everyone, Shivaji Maharaj is not just a king but a revered figure... Today, I bow my head at his feet and apologise to my deity.”
The event saw the presence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, NCP State unit chief Jayant Patil, AICC in charge of Maharashtra Ramesh Chennithala, and senior Congress leaders from Maharashtra. However, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray and leaders from their party were absent. His absence is noteworthy, especially considering that in the last Lok Sabha election, the Sena (UBT) candidate Chandrahar Patil was defeated in the Sangli constituency by Congress rebel Vishal Patil, who is now an associate member of Congress in the Lok Sabha.
Mr. Gandhi further criticised Prime Minister Modi, questioning why all major contracts are awarded solely to “Adani and Ambani” and accused him of running the government for the benefit of just “two people.” He pointed out that Mr. Modi has yet to apologise for the controversial “anti-farmer laws” that were repealed after widespread protests, and demanded apologies for demonetisation and the “flawed” implementation of the GST.
He said that Congress ideology is deeply ingrained in Maharashtra’s DNA and assured his presence during the upcoming assembly election campaign wherever necessary.
“Maharashtra remains a bastion of Congress ideology, people here carry the DNA of their party,” the Rae Bareli MP said.
He accused the BJP of neglecting Manipur, which he claimed is in a state of “civil war”, alleging that the BJP has ignited the crisis in the northeastern State.
The 54-year-old Congress leader drew parallels between Congress’s ideology and the principles upheld by Shivaji Maharaj, Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. “The battle is between Congress and their [BJP] ideology,” he said, accusing the BJP of attempting to dismantle the Constitution.
He further criticised the government for undermining small and medium-sized businesses in favour of “two people,” arguing that the Adani and Ambani groups are incapable of generating widespread employment.
He praised the late Patangrao Kadam for his lifelong dedication to the Congress party, Maharashtra, and the country, highlighting his work in education and development.
Reflecting on history, Mr. Gandhi said that when Indira Gandhi lost the Lok Sabha election, late Kadam supported her by organising a public meeting even at 2 a.m.
He contrasted Congress’s inclusive vision with the BJP’s focus on benefiting a select few, accusing the ruling party of wanting to preserve the caste structure, undermine the Constitution, and take control of institutions like the Election Commission, educational establishments, the judiciary, and the bureaucracy. According to Mr. Gandhi, the only qualification needed to join these institutions under the BJP is affiliation with the RSS. “The only merit needed for joining these institutions is you should be from the RSS,” he said.
Reiterating his call for a caste census, he said it would provide a clear picture of the social strata and their share of the nation’s wealth and decision-making power.
Calling the collapse of the Shivaji Maharaj statue an insult to both the State and the country, Mr. Kharge said that Patangrao Kadam’s statue was crafted by Ram Sutar, a renowned sculptor.
He reaffirmed MVA’s readiness to fight the upcoming assembly elections as a united front, stating that “all the real NCP and Shiv Sena leaders are with us; the fake ones are on the other side”.
Earlier, Mr. Pawar reminisced about Patangrao Kadam’s contributions, particularly in the fields of education and the development of drought-prone areas in Maharashtra.
In the morning, Mr. Gandhi and other Congress leaders met with the family of the late Congress MP from Nanded, Vasantrao Chavan, to offer his condolences. He then travelled to Sangli.
Published - September 05, 2024 06:29 pm IST
