MVA Government regrets the vandalism of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Bengaluru

In the state council, Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde condemned the demolition of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue in Bengaluru on behalf of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. It was backed by both the ruling and opposition parties. Ramraje Nimbalkar, the chairperson, has asked the government to file a special motion to convene a debate in the house. "The Karnataka government needs to prove more appreciation for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his heritage, and a defamatory act against an icon like him cannot be forgiven," Shinde added. "Chhatrapati Shivaji is Maharashtra's tutelar deity and the pride of the country," he said. Citizens of Maharashtra and his devotees will not tolerate the blackening of Chhatrapati Shivaji's statue in Bengaluru. Those who committed such a crime cannot be forgiven."

The vandalism of the statue, according to Shinde, should be taken seriously by everyone. "The Karnataka Chief Minister should have taken the situation seriously after it occurred." Instead, he dismissed the defilement as a mere mishap, which he found unacceptable. All sections have opposed the Karnataka Chief Minister's comments," he continued. Such occurrences, according to Shinde, are occurring on purpose in nearby Karnataka state, or individuals involved are being protected by the state administration there.

According to the minister, the Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary issue dates back seven decades. "Maharashtra has never adopted the recommendations of the Border Reorganisation Commission. The Marathi people are campaigning for Maharashtra to include the Marathi-speaking areas of Belgaon, Karwar, Nipani, and Khanapur. He remarked that the conflict has been going on for nearly seven decades. Pravin Darekar, the Leader of the Opposition, backed Shinde's comments but demanded that those responsible for the blackening of the statue be brought to justice.

Image Courtesy: @mieknathshinde