Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday apologised to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and those hurt by the collapse of the warrior king`s statue in the coastal Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra. “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not just a name or a king. For us, he is our deity. Today, I bow my head at his feet and apologise to my deity,” Modi said, after laying the foundation stone of the Rs 76,000 crore Vadhvan Port project in Maharashtra`s Palghar district. “Our values are different. For us, nothing is bigger than our deity.”

“Some people keep abusing Veer Savarkar but are not ready to apologise for insulting him. The moment I landed here, I first apologised to Shivaji Maharaj over the statue collapse. I also apologise to the people who were hurt by the collapse,” Modi said. Modi had unveiled the statue in December last year during the Navy Day celebrations in Sindhudurg district. The statue was to honour the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj towards maritime defence.