The Delhi high court on Wednesday dismissed a plea filed by the Shahi Idgah Managing Committee seeking to prevent the installation of a statue of Rani Lakshmibai inside the Shahi Idgah Park in the Sadar Bazar area of Delhi. The court delivered a sharp rebuke to the committee, criticizing its attempt to divide history on communal grounds and emphasizing that Rani Lakshmibai, the Maharani of Jhansi, is a national hero who transcends all religious boundaries.
The Shahi Idgah Committee’s petition argued that the park, including the Idgah itself, is waqf property and should not be encroached upon by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) or any other civic body. The petitioners sought a court order to restrain the authorities from installing the statue or any other structure within the Idgah Park premises. However, the court rejected this plea, deeming it an attempt at communal politics.
The high court, while rejecting the petition, remarked that “history should not be divided on communal grounds” and highlighted that Rani Lakshmibai is a revered figure in Indian history. “This is scandalous. Communal politics is being played through court,” the bench observed, expressing displeasure at the committee’s attempt to block the statue’s installation.
The committee had previously approached a single-judge bench of the Delhi High Court, which had also dismissed the petition. Following this, the Shahi Idgah Managing Committee moved to a higher bench, seeking a reconsideration of the matter. However, the court stood by its earlier decision, calling the plea divisive and accusing the committee of using the legal process for political purposes.
In its ruling, the court also criticized the language used in the appeal, describing it as “unfair to the judge” who had earlier ruled against the committee. The court took strong exception to what it termed as “scandalous pleadings” in the petition. When the committee’s counsel announced their intention to withdraw the petition, the court ordered that the paragraphs containing the controversial language be deleted and an apology submitted by the end of the day. The court is expected to pass an order on the withdrawal of the petition on September 27.
The original single-judge ruling had stated that the installation of the Rani Lakshmibai statue did not interfere with the committee’s ability to offer prayers or perform any religious rites, and therefore, there was no merit in the claim of encroachment.
