The Collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Statue
On August 26, 2024, a 28-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed at Rajkot Fort in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district, an incident that mirrors the frequent failures of infrastructure in India. Bridges, flyovers, and now a public monument—these collapses are becoming all too common, reflecting deep-seated issues within the country’s governance and public project management. The fall of the statue, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi just months prior, has sparked widespread outrage and debate, yet much of the blame has been directed towards the sculptor, Jaydeep Apte. This raises important questions: Why does the public focus on one individual when larger systemic issues, such as corruption and negligence, are at play?
The Role of Art in Public Spaces
When a monument of this scale is installed in a public setting, it transcends its identity as a mere work of art; it becomes a public structure, governed by regulations and standards like any other. A statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a revered historical figure, is more than a tribute—it is a cultural landmark, symbolizing pride, history, and identity for the local populace. The unveiling of such a statue is a momentous event, attended by political leaders and celebrated with grandeur. However, once the spectacle fades, the responsibilities associated with its maintenance and structural integrity remain. In this context, the collapse of the statue is not merely a failure of an artwork but of a public institution’s accountability to its people.
Public art installations are subject to rigorous testing to ensure they meet durability and safety standards. According to reports, Apte’s statue underwent all necessary inspections, including checks for durability. Despite these checks, the statue fell, suggesting that the collapse may have less to do with the artist’s technical execution and more to do with deeper issues within the system, such as mismanagement and corruption.
Misplaced Blame and the Vilification of the Artist
As soon as the statue fell, Jaydeep Apte became the primary target of public anger. Social media exploded with vitriol, and Apte faced death threats and even calls for sexual violence against his wife. This escalation is both alarming and revealing. The speed with which the public turned on Apte suggests an underlying desire to find a single, tangible person to blame—an easy scapegoat. But this focus on the artist detracts from the broader institutional failures that likely contributed to the incident. Apte, an accomplished sculptor with a distinguished career, secured the Rs 2.42 crore contract through a tender bid from the Indian Navy at the Navy Dockyard, Mumbai. He invested his own money and took loans to finance the project, working within the system’s requirements. He completed the work on time, passing all necessary inspections. Apte’s portfolio includes several high-profile projects, including statues in London, Sydney, and across India. The fact that a project with a budget and scope as significant as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue passed multiple inspections and was still unveiled by the Prime Minister raises questions about the oversight mechanisms that were in place. It is convenient to blame an individual, but doing so ignores the broader problems. The statue’s collapse is a symptom of deeper issues in the governance of public works in India, where corruption, inadequate funding, and poor oversight often undermine the quality of infrastructure projects. A project may pass all inspections on paper, but these processes can easily be compromised by vested interests or cost-cutting measures. Apte may be an easy target, but the real accountability lies within the larger bureaucratic and political apparatus that governs public projects.
The Real Issue: Corruption and Structural Decay
India has witnessed multiple instances of public infrastructure collapsing, from flyovers to bridges, and now, a state-endorsed statue. These incidents point to a pattern of systemic corruption and negligence. Public contracts are often awarded based on political connections rather than merit, and the quality of materials used in construction is frequently compromised to cut costs. In this case, although Apte’s statue passed all checks, it is entirely possible that the oversight bodies responsible for ensuring the statue’s safety were either lax or corrupted. Public projects in India are often marred by a lack of transparency and accountability. Corruption at multiple levels—from the allocation of funds to the procurement of materials—undermines the integrity of these projects. In the case of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue, the fact that all required checks were allegedly performed, yet the structure still collapsed, suggests that the issue lies not with the artist but with the system that allowed subpar standards to pass as acceptable.
The Larger Cultural and Political Implications
The collapse of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not just a technical failure—it is a symbolic one. Shivaji is a national icon, especially in Maharashtra, where he is venerated as a symbol of resistance against colonialism and a champion of Maratha pride. The statue’s fall resonates deeply with the public, and the incident is politically charged. It comes at a time when statues of historical figures have become central to nationalist projects across the country, with governments commissioning large-scale monuments to assert cultural dominance and historical narrative. The cultural significance of these statues makes their collapse even more damning. It reflects the erosion of the values they are meant to represent—integrity, strength, and resilience. The fall of the Shivaji statue has thus become a metaphor for the larger decay of governance in India. It represents not just the literal crumbling of a monument, but the collapse of a system that is supposed to ensure the safety and well-being of the public.
Conclusion: Shifting the Focus from Blame to Accountability
Jaydeep Apte is not the real culprit in the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue. The true blame lies with the systemic failures that plague public infrastructure projects in India. Apte followed the required processes, and the statue passed all necessary inspections. The outrage directed at him is a distraction from the more pressing issue: the endemic corruption and mismanagement that allow such disasters to occur. Instead of vilifying individuals, the focus should be on reforming the systems that govern public works. Inspections should be independent and free from political influence. Contracts should be awarded based on merit, not connections. And public officials should be held accountable for ensuring that projects meet the highest standards of safety and quality. The fall of the Shivaji statue is a wake-up call. It is time to shift the conversation from blame to accountability, from individuals to institutions. Only then can we hope to prevent future tragedies like this from occurring.
Feature Image: 35-feet statue of Shivaji Maharaj collapses in Sindhudurg | Courtesy: Republic
The Community-Centric Art and Craft of Arunachal Pradesh
