PANAJI
Amid ongoing debate over the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Calangute, Power Minister Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar equated him with ‘deity’ claiming he is worshipped on par with God. The minister openly expressed disagreement with Calangute sarpanch Joseph Sequeira’s decision to remove the statue of Shivaji Maharaj.
“He (Shivaji Maharaj) is our deity. Just as we worship God, we worship him. If anybody says anything against him, it hurts; and in this case, it has hurt us,” Dhavalikar told the media.
He further stated that Shivaji Maharaj holds a significant place as a deity and cannot be equated to any other leader, hence his title of Chhatrapati.
He also emphasised that such decisions should be made collectively. But while Dhavalikar indicated disappointment over Sequeira’s decision, he also acknowledged that the latter apologised for his actions.
“It was his fault (to announce removing the statue) for which he has apologised, and the matter has been resolved and put to rest. I believe the issue should not be discussed any further now,” the minister said.
