Congress slams govt over 'statues' relocation within Parliament, says "it violates spirit of democracy"; BJP calls it "matter of pride"

New Delhi [India], June 16 : The Congress slammed the BJP-led government at the Centre over its decision to relocate statues within the Parliament premises on Sunday and said that removing these statues arbitrarily, without any consultation, violates the basic spirit of our democracy, whereas the BJP called the move "a matter of pride."
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said the statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and other leaders were earlier situated in prominent locations after due deliberation and consideration, adding that it violates the basic spirit of democracy.
"The statues of many great leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, have been removed from their prominent places in the Parliament House Complex and relocated to a separate corner. Removing these statues arbitrarily, without any consultation, violates the basic spirit of our democracy. There are about 50 such statues or busts throughout the entire Parliament House," he posted on X.
"The statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar were situated in prominent locations and of other major leaders at appropriate locations after due deliberation and consideration. Each statue and its location across the Parliament House complex hold immense value and significance," Kharge added.
He said that the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in a meditative posture located right in front of the old Parliament Building held immense significance for India's democratic polity.
"The statue of Mahatma Gandhi in a meditative posture located right in front of the old Parliament Building held immense significance for India's democratic polity. Members paid their respects at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, imbibing within themselves the spirit of Mahatma. It is at this place that Members often conduct peaceful and democratic protests, drawing strength from their presence," the Congress leader wrote on X.
"The statue of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar too had been placed at a vantage point conveying the powerful message that Babasaheb is extolling the generations of parliamentarians to steadfastly hold on to values and principles enshrined in the Constitution of India. Incidentally, during my student days in the mid-60s, I was at the forefront of demanding the installation of the statue of Babasaheb in the precincts of the Parliament House," he added.
"Such concerted efforts eventually resulted in the installation of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar's statue at the place where it had hitherto been placed. The prior placement of the Babasaheb statue also facilitated the seamless movement of people paying their tributes to him on his birth and death anniversaries. All this has now been brought to naught in an arbitrary and unilateral manner," Kharge posted.
The Congress President further said that such decisions made without any proper discussion and deliberation with relevant stakeholders are against the rules and traditions of the Parliament.
"There is a dedicated Committee for installing portraits and statues of national leaders and MPs in the Parliament House Complex, called the 'Committee on the Installation of Portraits and Statues of National Leaders and Parliamentarians in the Parliament House Complex,' which includes MPs from both Houses. However, the committee has not been reconstituted since 2019," he posted.
"Such decisions made without any proper discussion and deliberation with relevant stakeholders are against the rules and traditions of our Parliament," Kharge added.
Meanwhile, Vice President of India and Chairman of Rajya Sabha Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated the Prerna Sthal on Sunday and called it the place that isn't any less than a "religious place to all Indians'.
Dhankar inaugurated the newly constructed Prerna Sthal in front of Building Gate No. 7 of the Samvidhan Sadan in the presence of 17th Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha Harivansh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and Ashwini Vaishnav today.
"I got inspiration by coming to 'Prerna Sthal' this place isn't any less than a religious place to all Indians. visiting the great leaders, how it can influence us, I witnessed it after coming here.this is motivational and inspirational. Whoever spends little time here will be inspired," Vice President Dhankar told ANI.
Om Birla said prerna sthal will inspire the future generations to come.
"Today, Vice President inaugurated this Prerna Sthal. At this Prerna Sthal, all the statues of our great revolutionary, spiritual men have been brought together in one place in a respectful manner.The present and future generations will know about the great revolutionary cultural, and spiritual re-awakening and those who have increased the pride of India in history, how they fought the freedom movement, how they started a new era of India for social, cultural, and spiritual change in the country. People get inspiration from such great men...I think that the Prerna Sthal will always inspire the coming generations," Birla said.
BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the 'Prerna Sthal' is being built to inspire the coming generation and it is a matter of pride.
"It is a matter of pride that 'Prerna Sthal' is being established in the Parliament premises. The 'Prerna Sthal' is being built to inspire the coming generations by installing statues and photographs of those great patriots who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the country," he said.
Earlier, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said that the decision to relocate statues within the Parliament premises was taken by the ruling government, emphasizing that the Parliament's Committee on Portraits and Statues last met on December 18, 2018.
"According to the Lok Sabha website, Parliament's Committee on Portraits and Statues last met on December 18th, 2018. It was not even reconstituted during the 17th Lok Sabha (2019-2024), which also functioned for the first time without the constitutional post of Deputy Speaker," he posted on X.
"Today, a major reconfiguration of statues in the Parliament complex is being inaugurated. Clearly, it is a decision taken by the ruling regime unilaterally. Its sole objective is NOT to have statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Ambedkar--traditional sites of peaceful, legitimate and democratic protests--right next to where Parliament actually meets. The Mahatma Gandhi statue has thus been displaced not just once but actually twice," the Congress leader added.