In Pune, on August 29, Ajit Pawar's faction of the NCP held a silent protest regarding the collapse of a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg. The 35-foot statue, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2023, fell on Monday afternoon.
NCP spokesperson Anand Paranjpe condemned the incident, urging the Home Minister to intervene and arrest those responsible. Opposition leaders, including Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, criticized the BJP-led Mahayuti government, questioning claims that strong winds caused the statue's collapse.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde attributed the fall to strong winds, while Congress President Nana Patole criticized the government for corruption, blaming it for the incident. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has apologized and promised strict action against those accountable.