Mallikarjun Kharge has written to the Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha chairman, urging the restoration of statues of national icons such as Mahatma Gandhi, Shivaji, and BR Ambedkar to their original positions.
These statues were recently moved to Prerna Sthal, a newly inaugurated area at the back of the Parliament Complex. The relocation decision has been met with strong opposition, with critics demanding a reversal.
Kharge, expressing his views on social media platform X, highlighted that the committee responsible for such decisions, which includes MPs from both Houses, has not been reconstituted since 2019. He criticized the decision as "arbitrary" and "unilateral," emphasizing that it violates democratic principles due to the lack of consultation.
In his letter posted on X, Kharge argued that the removal of the statues without consultation undermines the spirit of democracy. The controversy over the statue relocation has been ongoing for weeks.
Although there has been no official response from the BJP, the Lok Sabha Secretariat has defended the decision, stating it was intended to make the statues more accessible to visitors.
"Because the statues were scattered across different parts of the Parliament Complex, visitors had difficulty viewing them. Therefore, they have been respectfully relocated to a grand Prerna Sthal within the Parliament House Complex," read the statement from the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, who inaugurated Prerna Sthal, described the area as "motivational and inspirational," suggesting that visitors would find inspiration from spending time there. Om Birla, former Speaker of the Lok Sabha, echoed this sentiment, stating that the Prerna Sthal would inspire future generations by showcasing these great figures.