Don’t move Konddeo statue: Sena

The Shiv Sena has expressed its displeasure over the Pune Municipal Corporation’s decision to remove the statue of Dadoji Konddeo, known as Shivaji Maharaj’s teacher, from Lal Mahal.

The Shiv Sena has expressed its displeasure over the Pune Municipal Corporation’s decision to remove the statue of Dadoji Konddeo, known as Shivaji Maharaj’s teacher, from Lal Mahal.

HT Image

Konddeo's statue is part of a sculpture depicting Shivaji, along with Jijamata, tilling the soil of Pune with a golden plough.

A resolution to move the statue was taken by the civic body on Thursday despite opposition from the Bharatiya Janata Party, Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena with the Congress and NCP supporting the same.

The Sambhaji Brigade, a group of Maratha sympathisers contended that there was no historic evidence available to prove that Konddeo, a Brahmin by birth, was Shivaji’s guru.

They claimed, “Konddeo’s statue at Lal Mahal was creating a wrong picture”. “We will oppose the decision and not let it happen,” said Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray while talking to the media at Press Club at south Mumbai.

About the Brigade he said, “Who is this small ‘toli’ (group) to change history and decide what is true? This is an insult to Shivaji Maharaj and no citizen of Maharashtra will support this move,” Thackeray added.