New Delhi: Heavy police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in the Eidgah complex on Rani Jhansi Road in Delhi following a large gathering of people over the controversy surrounding the installation of a statue of Rani Lakshmibai. The police have also installed 32 CCTV cameras in the area to monitor any suspicious activity. Additionally, barricades have been set up on both sides of the roads, allowing only local residents access to the area. A crowd had gathered suddenly on Wednesday evening, prompting the Delhi Police and paramilitary forces to arrive and disperse them.
As crowds are expected to gather again for Friday prayers, a significant police presence has been maintained, with paramilitary personnel still on duty to monitor for any troublemakers. Drones will also be used for surveillance. The police have set up a temporary camp office to monitor the footage.
What is the Rani Lakshmibai statue controversy?
The relocation of the statue, currently situated outside the RSS office in the Jhandewalan area of the city, has escalated into a major controversy, with both the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP accusing each other of politicising the issue.
The controversy began when the DDA allocated a portion of land near the Eidgah complex on Rani Jhansi Road for the installation of statues of Rani Lakshmibai and her two commanders, Khuda Baksh and Ghulam Ghaus Khan, in a park. An organization unhappy with this decision moved to the Delhi High Court, where they received a severe reprimand. The AAP-led Delhi government had proposed enhancing the flyover from Tis Hazari to Filmistan in 2016-17, which included widening Rani Jhansi Road and relocating Rani Lakshmibai’s statue from Deshbandhu Gupta Chowk.
War of Words Between AAP and BJP
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh accused the BJP of “conspiring” to remove the statue outside the RSS office. In response, city BJP president Virendra Sachdeva countered that the project was proposed by the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), both of which fall under the AAP government. He claimed, “Singh is promoting the agenda of a communal organization, which was reprimanded by the Delhi High Court, by opposing the relocation of Rani Lakshmibai’s statue and the Rani Jhansi Road project.” He added that the Rani Jhansi Road project is a traffic and public welfare initiative managed entirely by the AAP government.
The BJP’s media department head also criticised the AAP, accusing it of appealing to a “particular community” for votes ahead of the assembly polls. In turn, the AAP issued a statement claiming that the BJP’s “habit of betraying the nation runs deep” and asserted that their latest “plot” to remove Rani Lakshmibai’s statue near the RSS headquarters is evidence of this.
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