Statues of Gandhi, Ambedkar, Shivaji not removed but "respectfully" being moved to 'Prerana Sthal' in Parliament House: Lok Sabha Secretariat

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After the Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged that statues of Mahatma Gandhi, BR Ambedkar and Chhatrapati Shivaji were "removed" from their places of prominence in front of the Parliament, the Lok Sabha Secretariat said that the statues were "respectfully" moved to be installed in the grand 'Prerana Sthal' in the Parliament House Complex itself.

After the construction of the new Parliament Building, an action plan has been made for landscaping and beautification of the Parliament Complex so that the Complex could be made grand and attractive as per the high dignity and decorum of the Parliament, Lok Sabha Secretariat stated in a press release on Thursday.

"Statues of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Gandhi, and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar have just been removed from their places of prominence in front of the Parliament House. This is atrocious," Congress' General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh earlier said in a post on X. Due to the location at different places in the Parliament Complex, visitors were not able to view these statues conveniently.

"For this reason, all these statues are being respectfully installed in a grand Prerana Sthal in the Parliament House Complex itself. This Prerana Sthal is being developed in such a way that the visitors coming to visit the Parliament complex could easily see the statues of these great leaders and take inspiration from their lives and philosophy," stated a press release from the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

"In the Parliament Complex, statues of great leaders and freedom fighters of the country were installed at different parts of the Complex. These great leaders and freedom fighters have made significant contributions to the independence of our nation, in the cultural and spiritual renaissance of the nation and in taking the country's democratic journey forward strongly after independence. These great heroes, through their lives, philosophy and work, established the tribal pride of the country and paved the way for the upliftment of the exploited and deprived society. They are the source of eternal inspiration for the present and future generations of our nation," the release further said.

In this Prerana Sthal, arrangements are also being made to provide detailed information to the visitors through modern technology regarding the lives and contributions of the great freedom fighters so that the people coming to visit them could get inspiration from their lives and thoughts. They can also pay their humble tributes to great leaders at this place of reverence, the Lok Sabha Secretariat said.

"It is noteworthy that the Parliament House Complex comes under the jurisdiction of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and statues have been shifted inside the complex in the past also with the permission of the Honorable Lok Sabha Speaker. The statue of any great leader has not been removed from the Parliament House complex. Their statues are being installed systematically and respectfully inside the Parliament House Complex," the release added.