Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], February 17 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday unveiled a 21-foot-tall statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji at Sector 21 in Gandhinagar.
Addressing the gathering at the event, he said it will inspire the city's people and youth by commemorating Shivaji Maharaj's courage and leadership in establishing Hindu Swaraj.
He said that young Shivaji Maharaj defied the odds to establish Hindu Swaraj despite Mughal rule and years of oppression, and praised his efforts to protect temples and promote resilience during challenging times.
Shah said, "It is a good day for me that the statue of Shivaji Maharaj has been installed. The 21-foot-tall statue will inspire the people and youth of Gandhinagar. When the darkness of slavery loomed large, the country was enslaved from Afghanistan to Kanyakumari and from Somnath to Orissa. Adil Shahi came; when people had almost disappeared due to years of slavery and suffering, 16-year-old Shivaji showed a new path."
"No one believed that young Shivaji would be able to establish Hindu Swaraj. Shivaji Maharaj was crowned, and Hindu Swaraj was established. It took Mughal power to break Shivaji Maharaj's courage, but he did not give up the fight. When the temples of Kashi were destroyed, Shivaji Maharaj protected the temples of the South," the Union Home Minister added.
Shah also reflected on Shivaji Maharaj's vow to rebuild temples destroyed by invaders, linking it to contemporary achievements such as the consecration of the Ram Temple, the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, and the gilding of the Somnath Temple. He also noted Shivaji Maharaj's establishment of the Navy and his guiding motto.
"At that time, he gave the message that if destructive forces destroy temples, we will build new ones. When the Ram Temple was consecrated, Shivaji Maharaj's vow was fulfilled. The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor was rebuilt. The Somnath Temple, which was destroyed 16 times, has been gilded. During his time, Shivaji Maharaj established the Navy and gave a motto," he said.