After President Pranab Mukherjee turned down Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel’s request to unveil statues of freedom fighters Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev on the Vidhan Sabha premises on Wednesday, the statues are to be unveiled by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The Delhi Assembly has decided to observe the death anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh as “Shaheedi Diwas” on March 23.
In a letter to Goel, Private Secretary to President Pranab Mukherjee, Rajneesh has written that he has been directed to convey that due to pressing engagements of 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 on 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. “The helicopter could have landed at the airbase of the Delhi Police in Kingsway Camp. But that chapter stands closed now,” said the source.
The Delhi Assembly Secretariat has been making constant efforts to make the “Shadeedi Diwas” a major function. Once the statues are unveiled, the Vidhan Sabha will be the first one in the country to have them.
Soon after lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung’s address to the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday, 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 on 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.