Yesterday, On 5th October, The Delhi High Court was informed that sentiments carefully considered while installing a statue of Rani Lakshmi Bai at Idgah Park. The petitioners argued that the installation was carried out in a manner that respected the sensitivities of the community.
New Delhi: The city authorities, On Friday, assured the Delhi High Court that public sentiments respected during the installation of a statue of Maharani Lakshmi Bai at Shahi Idgah Park, located in Sadar Bazar.
The counsel for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) informed the court that the statue placed in a “corner,” 200 meters away from the Idgah wall.
Additionally, a partition wall has been constructed, and “sentiments are being protected,” as stated by the senior counsel representing the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
The hearing held in response to an appeal by the Shahi Idgah Managing Committee, which challenged a single judge’s decision not to halt the installation of the statue. The committee argued that Shahi Idgah Park is a historic site from the Mughal era, used for offering namaz.
The bench, led by Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, was informed that the statue had already been installed. Emphasizing the importance of an amicable resolution, the bench instructed authorities to take a delegation from the appellant’s side to the site to inspect the placement of the statue.
The bench directed,
“Take a small team and show them the area.”
While scheduling the next hearing for October 7, it stated,
” Three representatives of the appellant to visit the area where the statue has been installed. Take them tomorrow,”
During the October 1 hearing, the court questioned the objection to the installation of the Maharani Lakshmi Bai statue at Shahi Idgah Park, noting that she was not a religious figure. However, the court emphasized that it did not want the issue to become a “flashpoint unnecessarily.”
On September 25, the court had remarked that Maharani Lakshmi Bai is a national hero and that history should not be divided along communal lines.
Previously, a single judge had dismissed the committee’s petition, which sought to prevent the civic authorities from installing the statue, arguing that the Shahi Idgah was Waqf property. The committee cited a 1970 gazette notification stating that Shahi Idgah Park, an ancient Mughal-era property, is used for offering namaz and can accommodate up to 50,000 worshippers.
The single judge ruled that the petitioner committee had no legal or fundamental right to oppose the maintenance or upkeep of parks and open grounds surrounding the Shahi Idgah by the DDA, nor to contest the installation of the statue by the MCD.
FOLLOW US FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES ON YOUTUBE
