New Delhi: The Indian Army has installed a statue of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji on the shore of Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh.
While the unveiling was done 26 December, its announcement was made 28 December.
In a post on social media platform ‘X’, Army’s 14 Corps, also known as the Fire and Fury Corps, stated that a majestic statue of Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was inaugurated on the banks of Pangong Tso at an altitude of 14,300 ft.
“The towering symbol of valour, vision and unwavering justice was inaugurated by the General Officer Commanding Fire and Fury Corps Lt. Gen. Hitesh Bhalla, who is also the Colonel of the Maratha Light Infantry,” the post stated. “The event celebrates the unwavering spirit of the Indian ruler, whose legacy remains and source of inspiration for generations.”
In October, India and China completed disengagement in the two friction points of Demchok and Depsang at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The two countries are engaged in a border standoff which erupted on several points along the LAC following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area in 2020.
Apart from running through land, the LAC also cuts through the Pangong Tso, a 135 km-long, narrow, deep and landlocked lake covering a total area above 700 sq km.
In related developments, a section of military veterans came out with their statements in which they commented that if at all a statue had to be installed, it should have been of Dogra General Zorawar Singh’s.
Earlier this month, a painting of Pangong Tso was in the news. As reported by ThePrint, the Army chief replaced a painting of Lt. Gen. A.A.K.Niazi, commander of the Pakistan troops, surrender in 1971, in his annexe in South Block, with that of a painting which showed Hindu iconography alongside military paraphernalia on the banks of Pangong Tso. The 1971 painting was taken to Manekshaw Centre, which the Army said was its “befitting place”.
In August, a statue of Shivaji had collapsed within eight months after it was unveiled in Maharashtra by the Prime Minister. Unveiled during the Navy Day celebrations in December 2023, the statue in Sindhudurg collapsed on 26 August during inclement weather.
source : The Print