President Pranab Mukherjee has turned down Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel’s request to unveil statues of freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev within the Vidhan Sabha premises on W
President Pranab Mukherjee has turned down Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel’s request to unveil statues of freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev within the Vidhan Sabha premises on Wednesday.
The Delhi Assembly has decided to observe the death anniversary of the three freedom fighters as “Shaheedi Diwas” on March 23. The statues of the three freedom fighters will now be unveiled by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.
In a letter to Mr Goel, the President’s private secretary wrote that he has been directed to convey that due to pressing engagements of Mr Mukherjee, the request could not be accepted. The letter said: “Kindly refer to your letter No. F1 (1)SVS/2015/11 dated January 2, 2016, inviting the President of India to be the chief guest and unveil the statues of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev on March 23 in the premises of the Delhi Legislative Assembly. I am directed to convey that due to the pressing engagements of the President, the request cannot be accepted. However, the President has wished the function all success.”
In an attempt to ensure that commuters did not face any traffic jams due to the President’s proposed visit, a highly-placed source said there were plans to make use of a helicopter for the President’s visit to the Delhi Assembly. “The helicopter could have landed at the airbase of the Delhi police in Kingsway Camp. But that chapter stands closed now.”
The Delhi Assembly Secretariat has been making constant efforts to make the “Shadeedi Diwas” a major function. Once the statues of the three freedom fighters are unveiled, the Vidhan Sabha will be the first one in the country to have their statues on its premises. Mr Goel too made a fervent appeal to the legislators to make it a huge success. Soon after lieutenant-governor Najeeb Jung’s address to the Delhi Assembly, the Speaker told the legislators that each of them have been provided with 15 invitation cards. He said entry of two persons will be allowed with each card.
He said about 2,000 chairs have been placed in the Assembly lawns and other arrangements have also been taken care of to make the function a huge success.
