NEW DELHI: The city authorities on Friday assured the Delhi High Court that cultural sensitivities were considered 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 had been positioned in a corner, nearly 200 meters from the Idgah wall, with a partition wall constructed to maintain respect for the surrounding environment.
The Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) senior counsel echoed this, assuring the court that the “sentiments of the community are being respected.” The court was reviewing an appeal from the Shahi Idgah Managing Committee, which had earlier sought to prevent the installation of the statue. The committee argued that the park, a historical Mughal-era property, was primarily used for offering prayers (namaz).
The court was informed that the statue had already been installed, leading a bench headed by Chief Justice Manmohan to encourage a peaceful resolution. The bench suggested that representatives from the committee visit the site to see how the statue was positioned, stating, “Take a small delegation to show them the area.”
A team of three representatives from the panel was given permission to visit the location, and the court scheduled the next hearing for October 7.
In a hearing on October 1, the HC questioned the opposition to installation of the statue, emphasising that Maharani Lakshmi Bai was a historical figure rather than a religious one. It had cautioned against allowing the matter to become a source of unnecessary tension.
It said Lakshmi Bai, as a national hero, should be respected without dividing history along communal lines. Previously, a single judge had dismissed the panel’s plea, which claimed the Shahi Idgah Park was Waqf property and that the installation of the statue encroached upon it.