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Statues in assembly complex: Bajwa calls for action against officials for ‘hiding’ facts
Bajwa says assembly is part of Chandigarh Capitol Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and modifications can be done only after permissions from competent authority
Chandigarh: Congress MLA Partap Singh Bajwa on Thursday urged chief minister Bhagwant Mann to take stern action against officials who drafted the government resolution on installation of statues by concealing the fact that the same is not permitted in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha complex as it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The state assembly had on March 22 passed a unanimous resolution to install the statues of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Maharaja Ranjit Singh in its complex. Mann moved the resolution for the statues of Bhagat Singh and Ambedkar, whereas Ranjit Singh’s name was added after Bajwa suggested it.
Bajwa, in a written statement, said he entered the discussion in good faith believing that the government of Punjab had done the groundwork.
“The fact remains that as per the law of the land, the Palace of Assembly, Chandigarh, is a part of the Chandigarh Capitol Complex which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and therefore such modifications to the building can be done only after permissions from the competent authority. Furthermore, the edict of Chandigarh by Le Corbusier does not allow for personal statues to be built in Chandigarh,” said the Qadian MLA.
The Congress leader said these facts should have been brought forward to the House to give MLAs a proper understanding of the situation. “Every legislator in the House on March 22 has been misled by the government with regards to this resolution. This has created an embarrassing situation for all of us, not for the first time in this case,” he said, citing the instance in 2016 when a similar proposal was rejected by the Chandigarh administration.
Calling it a major faux pas, Bajwa said the officers involved in drafting the resolution put forward to the House must be held accountable for concealing such information from the chief minister. He urged the CM to take term action against the errant officials.
