Maharashtra/Palghar : On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a gathering in Palghar district, saying, “I want to express my heartfelt emotions – Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not just a name or a king. He is our deity. Today, I bow down to his feet and seek forgiveness from my deity.” Modi apologized to the people for the hurt caused by the recent incident in Sindhudurg district, where a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was damaged due to heavy rainfall and strong winds.
During his speech, Modi launched a scathing attack on the opposition, stating, “Our cultural values are different. We are not those who constantly insult Veer Savarkar, a great son of Mother India, and then refuse to apologize. Instead, they fight cases in courts. The people of Maharashtra should know their values. Our values are such that as soon as I set foot on this land, I bowed down to the feet of my revered deity Shivaji and sought forgiveness.” Notably, Prime Minister Modi had unveiled a 28-foot-tall statue of Shivaji Maharaj on December 4, 2023, which was later damaged in a storm on August 26. After Modi’s apology, the opposition appears to be on the back foot.