New Delhi: Statues of prominent national leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar, Chhatrapati Shivaji, Birsa Munda, and Maharana Pratap, were relocated within the Parliament premises on Thursday (June 6), drawing sharp criticism from the Congress party. 

The statues have been moved to a lawn situated between the old Parliament building and the Parliament library as part of landscaping exercise, the Hindustan Times reported. All statues are now placed together in this new location.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh expressed his disapproval for the move on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "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."

Pawan Khera, head of Congress's media and publicity department, slammed the BJP, suggesting the relocations were politically motivated. When they did not get a clean sweep in Gujarat, they removed the statue of Mahatma Gandhi from its original place in Parliament, he said.

"Just think, if they had been given 400 seats, would they have spared the Constitution?" Khera said in a post in Hindi on X.

The Parliament premises are undergoing redevelopment to integrate four different buildings. This redesign purportedly aims to give the complex a new look for the 18th Lok Sabha's maiden session in June. As part of this redevelopment, the statues were moved to a lawn near gate five of the old Parliament building.

The creation of a vast lawn in front of the Gaja Dwar is also part of the redevelopment plan. This area, used by the president and the prime minister to enter the new Parliament building, will also serve as a venue for official ceremonies, including the president's address to the joint sitting of Parliament during the budget session, reports said.

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