Rahul Gandhi Slams BJP, Demands PM Modi Apologise Over Shivaji Maharaj Statue Collapse
At a rally in Sangli, Maharashtra, recently, the Congress chief launched a sharp attack against the BJP, saying it sacrificed the greater cause of society in front of some. His remarks had come over the collapse of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Sindhudurg district, which Gandhi termed as an insult to the great Maratha warrior and the people of the state. He further pressed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologize for the collapse of the statue himself. According to him, it is a symbol that the BJP does not care about historical and cultural icons that mean so much to the people.
Ideology of Congress vs Alleged Elitism of BJP
That, according to him, is where the difference between BJP’s way of governance wholly differs from Congress’ ideology, which he claimed formed the core of Maharashtra’s history. “Congress’ ideology is in DNA of Maharashtra. Earlier, there used to be politics but today there is an ideological fight in India. We want social progress but they want only a few chosen ones to progress,” said Gandhi during his rally.
He has argued all along that Congress fought for all-round social development, while the BJP represented only the task of enriching a handful of elites, with interests of the vast number of people relegated to the background. By invoking Shivaji Maharaj and other social reformers, Gandhi tried to project Congress as inheritor of the inclusive, justice-driven political tradition of India.
Shivaji Maharaj’s Statue Collapses: It Is An Insult To The Nation
Indeed, one of the most critical issues that Rahul Gandhi has flung into the open was the toppling of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Unveiled on December 4, 2022, by Prime Minister Modi while celebrating Navy Day, the 35-foot statue fell on August 26, 2024, barely eight months since being installed.
To Gandhi, the falling of the statue was more than infrastructural failure and a symbolic insult to Shivaji Maharaj’s memory and to the people of Maharashtra. “This is an insult to Shivaji Maharaj. The PM should apologize, not only to Shivaji Maharaj but also to each person of Maharashtra,” he asked when addressing.
By pointing this out, Gandhi has sought to draw out what he perceives as BJP’s inability to honor national icons meaningfully. He drew the collapsed Shivaji statue in comparison to the recently unveiled statue of late Congress leader Patangrao Kadam and said that the latter would stand firm for many years to come, contrasting it with the Shivaji Maharaj statue that fell.
Hate Spreading: Allegations Continue, Gandhi Attacks BJP’s Ideology
This issue of the statue was just one of the many through which Rahul Gandhi attacked BJP. He pointed to its politics of division and spreading hatred across the country. “BJP is spreading hatred in every corner of the country. This is not a new thing; they have been doing this for centuries,” said Gandhi, framing this as an ideological fight with historical roots between Congress and BJP.
He invoked the memories of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who stood for social justice, inclusiveness, and equality. For him, Congress’s ideology runs aligned with them, whereas BJP policies run contrarian to what these gentlemen had envisioned for India.
“Earlier, this fight was fought by Shivaji Maharaj and Phule ji. If you read Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shahuji Maharaj, Phuleji, and Ambedkarji, then you will know that the ideology of all of them and the ideology of Congress is the same,” he said, drawing parallels between the Congress’ vision of social progress and what these historical reformers stood for.
Caste Census: Promise by Congress to Address Social Inequities
Also, Gandhi echoed Congress’s commitment to implement a caste census during his speech-a issue that has dominated the political discourse in the past months. He promised that if Congress came to power, along with its allies in the INDIA bloc, the party would conduct a caste-based census. According to him, this was required to achieve social and economic equity where underrepresented communities got their due share in resources and opportunities.
“I have said on the floor of Lok Sabha that Congress will get the caste census done. Our alliance will get it done,” he reassured the country, tackling one of the most indelible issues lingering in the Indian polity with regards to rectifying the caste-based disparities.
The commitment on caste census is an offshoot of the over-arching commitment to social justice and inclusivity that, in fact, is a distinguishing factor between the Congress agenda and the BJP’s, as Gandhi argues.
Patangrao Kadam’s Statue Unveiled: A Tribute to the Congress Leader
Earlier during the day, there was a function to unveil the statue of late Congress leader Patangrao Kadam in Sangli district, which was attended by Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. Kadam had been an old stager in Maharashtra politics and was attached to the Congress party since a long time.
A statue of Kadam unveiling at the same time as Gandhi’s criticism of the BJP over the fallen Shivaji Maharaj statue only reinforced Congress commitment to honoring its leadership and their contribution to society.
By celebrating the legacy of Kadam, Gandhi sought to project Congress as a party that respects and preserves the memory of its leaders, and in contrast to the BJP, which he claimed had not respected the dignity of Shivaji Maharaj’s statue.
Conclusion: Rahul Gandhi’s Rallying Cry for Maharashtra
The Sangli rally speech of Rahul Gandhi was a clarion call to the Congress workers and a frontal attack on the BJP’s governance and ideology. The fall of the Shivaji Maharaj statue became an occasion to belittle the BJP on their action and inaction on historical and cultural icons, presenting the Congress before the people as the champion of social justice and inclusivity.
The remarks of Gandhi had come at a time when the political fight between Congress and BJP was growing hotter in Maharashtra, among other places. They essentially mirrored an ideological tussle that is unlikely to let up anytime soon and will shape the contours of Indian politics for years to come. This demand for a caste census, emphasizing legacies of historical reformers, and the criticism of BJP’s divisively corrosive politics-all these are symptomatic of the larger narrative of Congress’ fight to save social progress from what he termed the BJP’s elitist and exclusionary agenda.
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