Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition, criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, demanding an apology to not just Shivaji Maharaj but to every citizen of Maharashtra. Gandhi attributed the collapse to corruption and the awarding of the contract to an RSS-affiliated individual. Modi has already publicly apologized, calling Shivaji Maharaj a revered deity. Gandhi expanded his critique to include Modi's policies on demonetisation, GST, and alleged favoritism towards big businesses like Adani and Ambani, claiming these policies harmed small and medium enterprises. He emphasized the ideological struggle between Congress and BJP, accusing the latter of spreading hatred and benefiting a select few. Gandhi made these remarks during a rally in Sangli where he unveiled a statue of late Congress leader Patangrao Kadam, and the arrest of the sculptor involved in the construction has further fueled the debate.