A controversy erupted in the state of Madhya Pradesh over the removal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s bust. The bust was removed by the local administration using a JCB machine in Sausar town in MP’s Chhindwara district. The BJP has accused the ruling Congress of insulting” the “pride of the nation” with the act.
It is quite surprising to witness such a stance of the administration as its attempt to remove the bust of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj by bulldozing it instead of shifting it is not only derogatory but also an insult to the great icon. Usually, in such cases, the administration respectfully shifts the bust to another location instead of bull dozing it. But this time, the administration had refused to showcase any respect for the great Maratha king.
Interestingly, Sausar is the legislative constituency of the Chief Minister Kamal Nath and his son Nakul Nath is a parliamentarian from Chhindwara seat. Sausar SDM has also confirmed the removal of the bust. Omprakash Sanodia said, “The bust was removed as it was placed at the Mohgaon chauraha (square) without any permission.”
Not surprisingly, the local residents protested the removal of the bust and some residents even tried to block portion of Chhindwara-Nagpur national highway demanding re-installation of the bust.
However, Shiv Sena’s silence over it is distressing and conspicuous. Shiv Sena is yet to utter a word over the grave insult of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj by the Congress-led state government. It exhibits the opportunist mindset of the party as it is not in a position to criticise the Congress.
Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray has no spine to even issue a statement on this, he has thrown his ideology well behind him only for the chair. The party has always been vocal about its ideological association with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj but times are quite different now as Uddhav is enjoying chief ministerial powers only on the mercy of Congress and NCP.
Former Madhya Pradesh CM and magnetic leader of the BJP, Shivraj Singh Chouhan slammed the Shiv Sena for being silent on the issue. “The Shiv Sena-led government in Maharashtra which also includes the Congress considers Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as an ideal. Will they (Shiv Sena) tolerate such insult to him (Shivaji)?” Chouhan questioned.
The derogatory bulldozing of the bust by the state government is condemnable. It must have shifted the bust of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj keeping in mind the people’s sentiments for the great Maharaja. Shiv Sena must show its ideological credentials otherwise it would stoop to become another Congress in the state. It must assure the core vote base of the party about its fading ideological commitments. This insult of the Maratha king by the arrogant congress-led state government must not go unnoticed.