Bhopal, Feb 20 (IANS): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveiled a grand statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on the Maratha warrior king's Jayanti in Chhindwara district on Sunday.

While addressing a gathering on this occasion, the Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of development works worth Rs 122 crore in Chhindwara.

Meanwhile, Chouhan slammed former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Kamal Nath in his hometown and political bastion Chhindwara, accusing him of supporting people objecting the installation of Shivaji's statue in Sausar area in the district when the Congress government was in power.

"We are runing bulldozers on houses of criminals, while he (Kamal Nath) was demolishing Shivaji's statue during the Congress rule in Madhya Pradesh. I had came here that time also when Shivaji's statue was demolished and had promised to built it again if I come back to power again. Today, I am happy that I am fulfilling my commitment to people of Sausar area," the Chief Minister said.

Chouhan was referring to the February 2020 incident (while Nath was the Chief Minister) over removal of Chhatrapati Shivaji's bust that was installed at Mohgaon Tiraha (Sausar) by right-wing Hindu groups, including Shiv Sena, which was removed by the then state administration.

At that time, Chouhan visited there and had joined a massive protest in the same town against the removal of Chhatrapati Shivaji's bust.

"Demolishing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's bust was an insult of our great warrior, which hurt the sentiments of all our countrymen. That's why we decided that a big statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj would be installed here and he would be given full respect. The youth will be inspired by his patriotic stories. Chhatrapati Shivaji is our idol," the Chief Minister added.

Responding to Chouhan's statements on the February 2020 incident, Congress MLA from Sausar constituency, Vijay Chaure said, "The Madhya Pradesh CM is taking false credit for the statue of the Hindu Hriday Samrat Chhatrapati Shivaji. The local administration had attempted to remove the bust in February 2020, as it was installed without any permission. Just a few days later, the then Chief Minister Kamal Nath and his son and local MP Nakul Nath had got decks cleared for installing a grander statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji. Now the present CM is trying to take false credit for unveiling a new statue. The same officials who attempted the removal of Shivaji's bust in February 2020 are now welcoming the present CM, why hasn't he acted against them over the last three years?"