Bow my head at Shivaji's feet and apologise: PM Modi on statue collapse
Palghar (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday apologised to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and those hurt by the collapse of the warrior king’s statue in coastal Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra.
“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 said, after laying the foundation stone of the Rs 76,000 crore Vadhvan Port project in Maharashtra’s Palghar district.
“Our values are different. For us, nothing is bigger than our deity," Modi said. “Some people keep abusing Veer Savarkar but are not ready to apologise for insulting him,” he said.
"The moment I landed here, I first apologised to Shivaji Maharaj over the statue collapse. I also apologise to the people who were hurt by the collapse," he said.
Modi had unveiled the statue in December last year during the Navy Day celebrations in Sindhudurg district. The statue was aimed at honouring the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj towards maritime defence.
The state government has announced that a joint technical committee headed by the Navy with representatives from the state government and technical experts will investigate the reasons for the statue collapse on Monday.
A developed Maharashtra is an essential part of the resolve for a Developed India, Modi said.
“Therefore, over the past 10 years, we have taken continuous major decisions for Maharashtra's progress. To ensure that the state and the entire country reap benefits of Maharashtra's capacities, the foundation stone for Vadhvan Port has been laid today,” he said.
#WATCH | PM Narendra Modi speaks on the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue collapse incident in Malvan.
— DD India (@DDIndialive) August 30, 2024
He says, "...Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not just a name for us... today I bow my head and apologise to my god Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Our values are different, we… pic.twitter.com/5XDUIU9gvb
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India describes attack on Fujairah 'unacceptable'
New Delhi (PTI): India on Tuesday described the wounding of three Indians in an attack on the United Arab Emirates' port city of Fujairah as "unacceptable" and pressed for an immediate cessation of hostilities targeting innocent civilians.
New Delhi's reaction came a day after the Indians were injured after a drone attack caused a fire at a major oil industry zone in Fujairah. The UAE had accused Iran of carrying out the strike.
"The attack on Fujairah that resulted in injury to three Indian nationals is unacceptable," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
"We call for immediate cessation of these hostilities and the targeting of civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians," the spokesperson said.
Jaiswal said India continued to stand for dialogue and diplomacy to deal with the situation so that peace and stability could be restored across West Asia.
"We also call for free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the Strait of Hormuz in keeping with international law. India stands ready to support all efforts for a peaceful resolution of issues," he said.
The attack on Fujairah city came as the ceasefire between the US and Iran came under strain in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and gas pass, remains a major sticking point in the talks. Shipping through the narrow Gulf waterway has been severely disrupted by the conflict, triggering a sharp increase in oil prices and energy shortages in several countries.
The UAE's defence ministry on Monday said its air defence systems engaged 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four drones launched from Iran.
The ministry affirmed that it "remains fully prepared and ready to deal with any threats and will firmly confront anything that aims to undermine the security of the country."
