The ‘Amhi Punekar’ (We Punekar) NGO said on 14th February 2023 that it will erect the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj near the India-Pakistan line of control. the motive behind this is to ensure that the soldiers fighting the enemies get motivated by the ideal and moral values of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj by looking at his statue on a daily basis and that they remember the bravery of the Hindu king and get the strength to fight against the enemies.
In order to achieve this feat, the Amhi Punekar NGO has taken up this initiative. The statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will be installed along the Line of Control at two places in the Kiran and Tangdhar-Titwal valleys of Kashmir as per reports.
The statue will be installed under the permission of Kupwara district collector Dr Sagar Dattatreya Doiphode in Kashmir. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Atakepar Smarak Samiti chief Abhayraj Shirole and We Punekar NGO president Hemant Jadhav have planned the initiative.
Hemant Jadhav said, “The Bhoomi Poojan of the statue installation work will be held by the end of March. The soil and water from Raigad, Torana, Shivneri, Rajgad, and Pratapgad forts, which have become holy by the footsteps of Shivaraya, will be taken to Kashmir for the Bhoomi Poojan by the Amhi Punekar NGO.”
Abhayraj Shirole said, “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, with his tactics and daring deeds, drove away the enemies. Various countries around the world follow his guerrilla warfare techniques. The statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is being installed on the Indo-Pakistan border to provide inspiration to the Indian soldiers on the border with the ideals of Shivaraya and the motivation through the statue.”
It is notable that two statues of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj were established in Jammu and Kashmir in January 2022 by the Maratha regiment. One of these statues has been installed near the LOC at a height of 14800 feet above sea level. Now, two more statues will be erected by Pune-based NGOs.