Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue in Maharashtra saying it was an insult to the Maratha icon.

Assuring that a life-size statue of late Congress leader Patangrao Kadam in Maharashtra’s Sangli district installed by his party will be here even after 50-70 years, while Shivaji Maharaj’s statue, Gandhi said, fell only a few days later after being inaugurated by PM Modi.

Addressing an event here, he said Prime Minister should apologise not just to Shivaji Maharaj but also to every person of Maharashtra.

The Raebareli MP said Congress’ ideology is in the DNA of Maharashtra. Earlier, there used to be politics, but today there is an ideological fight in India, he added. “We want social progress but BJP wants that only a select few get all benefits,” he said.

“I am feeling happy to be here to remember Kadam ji. He dedicated his entire life to serving the Congress party, Maharashtra, and the country. He did a lot of developmental work, educational work and stood with the Congress party throughout his life,” Gandhi said.

The former Congress chief said Maharashtra is a progressive state and different people carried out progressive work here and inspired the public here.

Mentioning the party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, also present at the event, Gandhi said: “As we landed, I told Kharge ji that I have noticed one thing. I said you become happy when I go to Karnataka with you, but I have also noticed that you are equally happy when you come to Maharashtra. He replied, the Congress party’s ideology is rooted deep into Maharashtra, that’s why I am happy when I come here.”

In a post on X, Gandhi took a jibe at PM Modi and said Maharashtra and the whole country want to know why the Prime Minister apologised.

In a series of speculations, Gandhi asked did PM Modi apologise for giving contracts to RSS people without merit, for the corruption in the construction of the statue, or for insulting a revered great man like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Gandhi asked.

“Whatever the reason, the Prime Minister and BJP are criminals of entire Maharashtra along with Shivaji Maharaj – they should apologize to every resident of the state for their behavior and corruption”, the Congress leader said.

Retorting sharply to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s warning that he will after 2027 order all bulldozers to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister’s hometown Gorakhpur, Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said that not everyone has the heart and character to handle a bulldozer.

The remarks from the Chief Minister came in response to the Samajwadi Party chief’s Tuesday comment on bulldozer, the machine which has become emblematic of his style of governance.

“As soon as the Samajwadi government is formed in 2027, the bulldozers of the entire state will head towards Gorakhpur,” Yadav had said.

Adityanath said only those with a bulldozer-like capability can operate it.

Addressing an event during appointment letter distribution in Prayagraj, Adityanath said, “Today these people have come back in a new form to mislead the public. Not everyone’s hands can fit on a bulldozer.”

“It requires both heart and mind. Only someone who has a bulldozer-like capability and determination can operate it. Those who grovel before the rioters will not be able to stand in front of a bulldozer”, he added.

The CM also made a pun on Yadav’s nickname saying, “Now ‘Tipu’ is also trying to become a ‘Sultan’.” He said Yadav’s ambition of returning to power in Uttar Pradesh is nothing more than a daydream, and accused the former Chief Minister and his uncle Shivpal Yadav of indulging in extortion during his rule.

“There used to be a competition between ‘chacha-bhatija’ in extorting money. Areas between them were divided. I can see that at this time some man-eating wolves are creating havoc in different districts.

“More or less the same situation was in the state before the year 2017,” Adityanath said.

Hours after the Chief Minister’s attack, the Samajwadi Party chief in no time on his X handle slammed back in Hindi and said: “If you and your bulldozer are so successful, then form a separate party and contest elections with the bulldozer election symbol.”

“Your illusions and pride will be shattered. Anyway, in your current situation, even if you are in BJP, you are as good as no, you will have to form a separate party, if not today then tomorrow”, the Samajwadi Party chief added.

In the wake of the Himachal Pradesh government’s financial crisis, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sikhu announced on Thursday that he and his cabinet ministers, chief parliamentary secretaries and board chairmen would defer their salaries, allowances and other benefits for the next two months.

CM Sukhvinder Singh Sikhu, while making the announcement in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, urged all MLAs including those from the Opposition BJP to voluntarily defer their salaries and allowances for the time being. Notably, the Congress has 40 MLAs and the BJP 28 MLAs in the 68-member House.

Nonetheless, BJP MLAs led by Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur staged a walkout after alleging a scam in the excise department, which is also under the Chief Minister. The walkout followed CM Sukhvinder Singh Sikhu’s reply that revenue generated through the 2024-25 excise policy was much higher than the total excise revenue generated under the BJP’s five-year tenure.

Jairam Thakur, a former chief minister, slammed Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, asserting that liquor vends were auctioned below the reserved prices. The former CM alleged that the number of liquor vends, especially of county-made liquor, was reduced. He claimed that contractors are selling liquor bottles at prices higher than the MRP printed on them, and that the entire excise policy was formulated only for the benefit of big players in the industry.

The Leader of Opposition further stated that bidding for a number of liquor vends was cancelled with the excuse that there were no bidders. However, the same vends were later allotted by the state government to its favourite liquor contractors, he continued.

Responding in the House, CM Sukhu urged BJP leaders including Thakur and Randhir Sharma to submit a complaint and said their allegations would be investigated. Speaking to the reporters outside the Assembly, Jairam Thakur urged the authorities to check the backgrounds of liquor contractors in Una and Kangra districts as well as in Nurpur town.