Mumbai, Sep 14 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said the Opposition targeted his government over the collapse of a statue of Shivaji Maharaj, but remains silent about police in Congress-ruled Karnataka putting a Ganesh idol in a police van.

Videos purportedly showing Karnataka police taking away a Ganesh idol from protestors and putting it in a police van have gone viral on social media.

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Speaking at a rally in Dharashiv district, Shinde referred to the controversy in the neighbouring state.

"The opposition parties politicised the collapse of Shivaji Maharaj's statue (in Sindhudurg). But they have remained silent about the Karnataka police's action which insulted the people's faith. The Congress government there is trying to shut down Ganesh festival celebrations," he said.

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"The government not only insulted the faith but put a Ganesh idol in a police van. The opposition did not speak a single word," the chief minister added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)