Dhankhar inaugurates 'Prerna Sthal' in Parliament complex; Congress slams relocation of statues as 'unilateral' move

NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha chairperson and vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday inaugurated the 'Prerna Sthal' in the Parliament complex. This newly established site now hosts statues of national icons and freedom fighters that were previously scattered across the premises.
Dhankhar stated that the 'Prerna Sthal' aims to inspire and motivate people.This comes amidst the Congress party's criticism over the relocation of the statues from their original spots.
"Imagine the contribution of these great personalities in the history of India. In which period were these great people remembered? I saw such a situation in the Central Hall. I became an MP in 1989, after that the change happened continuously," he said, seemingly alluding to the era of coalition governments at the Centre.
The event was attended by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh, Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju, and his deputies Arjun Ram Meghwal and L Murugan. Information and broadcasting and railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was also in attendance.
Previously situated statues were protest points inside Parliament
The statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Ambedkar, previously situated at prominent locations within the Parliament premises, were often gathering points for opposition protests against the government.
Previously, the outer lawns of Parliament housed statues of various national icons such as Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Chhatrapati Shivaji, Maharana Pratap, Hemu Kalani, Mahatma Basaveshwara, Kittur Rani Channamma, Motilal Nehru, Maharaj Ranjit Singh, Durga Malla, Birsa Munda, Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, and Chaudhary Devi Lal.
These statues have now been relocated to the newly created enclosure at the 'Prerna Sthal.'
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the purpose behind the relocation and its grandiose naming was to ensure the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Ambedkar were not placed conspicuously in front of Parliament House, where MPs could hold peaceful democratic protests as needed.

Relocation decision unilateral, violates the basic spirit of our democracy: Congress
Congress accused the govt of making the decision without any consultation and said that it violates the essence of democracy. There are around 50 such statues or busts throughout the Parliament House.
Releasing a statement on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that previously, the statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar were thoughtfully placed in prominent spots. These locations, he said, were chosen after careful deliberation.
"The statue of Mahatma Gandhi in a meditative posture located right in front of old Parliament building held immense significance for India’s democratic polity. Members paid their respects at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi imbibing within themselves the spirit of Mahatma. It is at this place that members often conducted peaceful and democratic protests, drawing strength from their presence," wrote Kharge.

Kharge said that even the statue of Ambedkar had been placed at a vantage point conveying the powerful message that he is extolling the generations of parliamentarians to steadfastly hold on to values and principles enshrined in the Constitution of India. "Incidentally, during my student days in mid 60s, I was in the forefront demanding for installation of statue of Babasaheb in the precincts of the Parliament House," he further wrote. "All this has now been brought to a naught in an arbitrary and unilateral manner.”
Congress said that there is a designated committee known as the 'Committee on the Installation of Portraits and Statues of National Leaders and Parliamentarians in the Parliament House Complex.' This committee includes MPs from both Houses. However, this committee has not been reconstituted since 2019.
"Such decisions made without any proper discussion and deliberation with relevant stakeholders are against the rules and traditions of our Parliament," added Kharge.
Held discussions with stakeholders: LS speaker on relocation
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that the change came after discussions with various stakeholders, adding that the statues’ relocation is part of a broader effort to enhance the landscaping and beautification of the premises.
Addressing the media, Birla said that the relocation involved continuous discussions with different stakeholders. He noted that this decision falls under the responsibilities of the Lok Sabha Speaker.
"None of the statues have been removed, they have been relocated. There is no need to indulge in politics on this," Birla stated in response to opposition criticism regarding the move.
He added, "From time to time, I have been discussing these issues with different stakeholders. People were of the view that having these statues at one place will help disseminate information about their lives and achievements in a better way."