Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday unveiled a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Kolhapur city of western Maharashtra. The Congress leader slammed BJP over the collapse of the statue of the warrior king at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg district more than a month ago and said the party’s ideology is not right.

Addressing a public meeting before unveiling the statue, Gandhi said there was no use of bowing before the Maratha icon after scaring people, destroying the Constitution and institutions in the country.

The Congress leader said, “BJP made a statue of Shivaji Maharaj, which broke and fell down within a few days. This was the message that if we make a statue of Shivaji Maharaj, then we will also have to protect his ideology. Because… BJP people fold their hands in front of Shivaji Maharaj’s statue but work against his ideology 24 hours a day.”

“The way Shivaji Maharaj lived his entire life and the things he fought for, we should also fight for those things,” he said.

His comments were apparently targeted at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had apologised to Shivaji Maharaj and those hurt by the collapse of his statue. “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not just a name or a king. For us, he is our deity. Today, I bow my head at his feet and apologise to my deity,” Modi had said on August 30 during his visit to Maharashtra.

The 35-foot statue, which fell on August 26, was unveiled by the PM on December 4, 2023, on the occasion of Navy Day. Gandhi said Chhatrapati Shivaji’s message to the world was that the country belongs to everyone.

“Shivaji Maharaj was an embodiment of courage, compassion and justice – Congress Party and INDIA are protecting the ideology of Shivaji Maharaj by following the path shown by him, because his thinking is embedded in the Constitution of India,” the Congress leader said in a post on X.

He said the BJP is trying to destroy the Constitution by standing against the same ideology. Gandhi added that due to such difference in intentions, even the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj made by him got broken and left him.

“I carry the thoughts of Shivaji Maharaj in my heart – I will continue to fight for the protection of the country’s constitution, institutions and the poor. Hail Bhavani, Hail Shivaji,” the former Congress chief said.

Farooq Abdullah, National Conference (NC) president on Saturday asserted that his party would not forge a post-election alliance with the BJP for government formation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The NC president said that they cannot go with the BJP because the vote which they have got is the vote against the BJP. He stated that BJP put the Muslims in difficulties, bulldozed their shops, houses, mosques and schools.

Farooq Abdullah further said that the BJP did not give mandate to even a single Muslim in the Parliamentary election nor is there a single Muslim minister in the Union Cabinet. He added that he thinks that the people of the Union Territory will not vote for the BJP, adding that if BJP think they will form the government, then they live in cuckoo’s world. The NC had on Friday clarified that it was not in touch with any political party other than INDIA bloc constituents for government formation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The party’s clarification followed amid speculation that it was engaged in backchannel deliberations with the BJP for government formation. When asked if Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid, who is on bail, was a factor in the assembly polls, Farooq Abdullah said he does not see any factor. The former Union Minister said that whoever stands with the BJP will be finished. 

Speaking about the chief minister candidate, the NC president said it will be decided after the results are announced. He stated that even if a political party has a full majority, they cannot say who is going to be what, what is going to happen. He added that they will wait till all the boxes are open and votes are counted. On the Haryana Assembly elections, Abdullah said the Congress will win with a majority there, adding that he has seen what people have suffered.

Accusing it of attempting to push the youth towards drugs and use that money to contest and win elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hit out at Congress, highlighting alleged links to a significant drug syndicate involving the former chairman of the RTI Cell of Delhi Pradesh Congress.

Addressing a rally in Maharashtra’s Washim district, PM Modi said, “Drugs worth thousands of crores of rupees were seized in Delhi recently. A Congress leader is suspected to be the kingpin. Congress wants to contest elections from the money it gets by pushing the youth towards drugs.”

During his visit, PM Modi inaugurated the Banjara Virasat Museum in Washim. The museum showcases the traditions, art, and heritage of the Banjaras, preserving their unique culture for future generations.

After inaugurating it, PM Modi said the Banjara community has played a significant role in enriching India’s cultural heritage. In every sector, be it art, tradition, spirituality, trade and commerce, he added that people from the Banjara community have made immense contributions.  

Continuing his attack on the grand old party, the Prime Minister said the Congress is being ruled by a gang of urban Naxals, and asked people to unite to defeat the “dangerous agenda” of that party.

“Congress thinks that if we all unite, then their agenda to divide the country will fail,” Modi said after launching various projects here.

“Everyone can see how closely Congress stands with people who don’t harbour good intentions for India,” Modi said.

Modi said that Congress’ thinking has been foreign from the very beginning. “Like the British rule, this Congress family also does not consider Dalits, backward and tribals as their equals.”

They feel that India should be ruled by only one family. That is why they have always maintained a derogatory attitude towards the Banjara community,” he said.