The statue of Rani Lakshmi Bai was brought to the Shahi Idgah Park at Sadar Bazar, Delhi from an intersection near Jhandewalan temple where the statue was installed on Wednesday night. The statue was brought by a crane and was kept in the park. The preparation for the installation of the statue was underway. A statue of Rani Lakshmi Bai's commander will also be installed in the park. The poles were dug into the soil to install them. The DDA officials rushed to the spot to inspect the installation work.
Heavy police deployment around Idgah Park
Delhi Police deployed security personnel to avoid any kind of agitation in the area. City police and RAF personnel were present at statue installation site.
What is the issue?
Recently, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA)'s decision to shift a statue of Rani Lakshmibai installed at the intersection near Jhandewalan temple to near Shahi Idgah Park sparked a row as the Idgah committee objected to the installation. The decision was taken because the intersection had to be removed, compelling the authorities to shift the statute.
Don't want installation of statue to become flashpoint: HC
The development comes a day after the Delhi High Court slammed the Muslim side who were opposing the installation of the statue. Stating that Maharani Lakshmi Bai is not a religious figure, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday questioned the opposition to the installation of her statue by the MCD at the Shahi Idgah Park and said it does not want the issue to become a "flashpoint unnecessarily".
A bench headed by Chief Justice Manmohan stated this while hearing an appeal by the Shahi Idgah Managing Committee against a single judge’s order refusing to restrain the installation of the statue of the freedom fighter.
"Why is passion so high? We are not able to understand the opposition...you must volunteer rather than the court passing an order.
She is not religious (figure)," the court remarked.
The bench, also comprising Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, deferred the hearing till October 4 and asked the senior counsel appearing for the appellant to speak to his client.
"We want you to speak to your client. We don't want a flashpoint unnecessarily in the city. We don't want to force something down your throat. Why should it become a flashpoint?" the court told the senior lawyer.
While agreeing that Lakshmi Bai was a national figure, the counsel for the appellant submitted that the park is used for a certain religious programme when prayers are offered there.
The court also deleted certain objectionable averments in the plea after the appellant sought their removal and tendered an unconditional apology.
On September 25, the court had said Lakshmi Bai was a national hero and history should not be divided on communal politics, as it pulled up the Shahi Idgah Managing Committee for making “scandalous pleadings” in its plea.
The court had taken exception to certain paragraphs against the single judge in the appeal, calling them “divisive”.
Earlier, the single judge had rejected a petition by the committee which sought directions to the civic authorities not to encroach upon the Shahi Idgah, claiming it to be a Waqf property.
The committee referred to a gazette notification published in 1970 which said that the Shahi Idgah Park is an ancient property built during the Mughal period, which is being used for offering namaz.
(With PTI inputs)
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