Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha Chairman demanding restoration of the statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Babasaheb Ambedkar, and other national leaders to their original locations in the Parliament House Complex.

Addressed the Presiding Officer of both Houses of Parliament, he wrote, “I am writing this letter in the context of relocation of statues of major leaders in the Parliament House Complex. 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.”

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“I wish to emphasise at the very threshold that such removal of these statues arbitrarily, without any consultation, violates the basic spirit of our democracy. Needless to mention the statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Babasaheb Ambedkar, and other national leaders were situated at prominent locations after due deliberation and consideration,” Kharge said.

The Congress chief noted that each statue and its location across the Parliament House Complex held immense value and significance.

“The statue of Mahatma Gandhi in a meditative posture originally installed on 2nd October 1993 in front of the old Parliament Building held immense significance for India’s democratic polity. I would also wish to draw your attention in regard to the statue of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar which was installed on 2nd April 1967 in the Parliament House precincts. The placement of Babasaheb’s statue facilitated seamless movement of people paying their tributes to him on his birth and death anniversaries,” he said.

Kharge, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said there is a dedicated Committee for installing portraits and statues of national leaders and MPs in the Parliament House Complex, which is, “Committee on the Installation of Portraits and Statues of National Leaders and Parliamentarians in the Parliament House Complex”.

Stating that this Committee comprises MPs from both Houses of Parliament, he said, “However, the committee lamentably has not been reconstituted since 2019.”

“Such decisions made without any proper discussion and deliberation with relevant stakeholders is against the rules and traditions of our Parliament. Therefore, I demand that the statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and other national leaders who greatly contributed to the unity and integrity of our nation must be relocated to their original locations with due respect and regard,” Kharge said.