Delhi Eidgah complex row: In anticipation of large gatherings for Friday prayers, a significant police and paramilitary presence remains stationed at Delhis Eidgah complex on Rani Jhansi Road. With concerns over potential unrest, drones will be deployed for aerial surveillance, and a temporary police camp has been established to monitor live footage. Security forces aim to prevent any troublemakers from inciting further tensions following recent protests over the relocation of the Rani Lakshmibai statue.Police surveillance and crowd controlFollowing a sudden gathering on Wednesday evening related to the ongoing statue controversy, Delhi Police, supported by paramilitary forces, swiftly arrived to disperse the crowd. To maintain control, police have installed 32 CCTV cameras in the area and set up barricades, allowing only local residents access to the site. The situation is being closely watched as officials prepare for potential gatherings during Friday prayers.Is the @INCDelhi doomedIs there any Leader who can just ask the govt, why they are forcefully encroaching Shahi Eidgah Land in Sadar Bazar No ones asking @ArvindKejriwal @ImranHussaain @OberoiShelly@AaleyIqbal on their role in this..@RahulGandhi@devendrayadvinc pic.twitter.com/ABD5PcovUp— Ashfaque Nabi (@AshfaqueNabi) September 25, 2024What is the Rani Lakshmibai statue controversyThe controversy centers around the relocation of Rani Lakshmibais statue, which was originally placed outside the RSS office in the Jhandewalan area of Delhi. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) allocated land near the Eidgah complex for statues of Rani Lakshmibai and her two commanders, Khuda Baksh and Ghulam Ghaus Khan, as part of a park development project. This move sparked protests, with some groups opposing the decision, leading them to file a petition in the Delhi High Court. However, the court issued a strong reprimand to the petitioners, backing the statues relocation.The statue relocation ties back to the AAP-led Delhi governments 2016-17 proposal to improve the Tis Hazari-Filmistan flyover, which included widening Rani Jhansi Road and relocating Rani Lakshmibais statue from Deshbandhu Gupta Chowk.Delhi:Statue of Rani Laxmibai will be installed inShahi EidGahWaqf Boards claim rejected while this land belongs to them,but the court has ruled in favor of the DDA. Now excavation has started on this land to install the statue of Rani Laxmi.#RobbersofWaqfProperty#India pic.twitter.com/xRazYTQsfd— Md Shahnawaz Alam(محمد شاه نواز عالم)मो.शाहनवाज (@MdShahn10298179) September 26, 2024Political blame game between AAP and BJPThe controversy has quickly turned into a political battleground between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with both sides accusing each other of politicizing the issue. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh alleged that the BJP is conspiring to remove the statue outside the RSS office for political gain. In response, BJP city president Virendra Sachdeva argued that the relocation plan was initiated by the AAP-led Public Works Department (PWD) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).Sachdeva also accused Sanjay Singh of supporting a communal organization that opposed the project and was reprimanded by the Delhi High Court. He emphasized that the statue relocation is part of the Rani Jhansi Road project, which is focused on public welfare and traffic improvement, and entirely managed by the AAP government.Meanwhile, the BJP has criticized AAP for allegedly appealing to a “specific community” to secure votes ahead of upcoming elections. In response, AAP released a statement accusing the BJP of betraying the nation, claiming the partys latest effort to relocate Rani Lakshmibais statue near the RSS headquarters proves this ongoing betrayal.
