Chandra Shekhar Azad's kin want Azad's bust back in place of Arjun Singh's statue

Amid the ongoing row over the installation of late Congress veteran Arjun Singh's statue at a trisection, where the bust of freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad earlier existed, the latter's descendants have sought re-installation of the revolutionary's bust at the same spot.

Azad's bust had been removed from the place on Link Road No. 1 in New Market locality about three years ago and was relocated at a spot along a nearby road during the erstwhile BJP government in Madhya Pradesh.

The BJP-ruled Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has installed a life-sized statue of Singh, a former chief minister and Gandhi family loyalist, who died in 2011. The statue is yet to be unveiled.

Amit Azad's claim

Talking to reporters here, Lucknow-based Amit Azad, who claims to be a member of Chandra Shekhar Azad's family, said, "This is an insult to the great freedom struggle heroes, who laid their lives for the country. Azad ji's bust was removed three years back and relocated from its pedestal with objectives to improve traffic condition and for widening a road." He said that now Arjun Singh's statue has been installed at the same place.

"If a statue could be installed at the same place, it should be only of Azad ji's," Amit, who calls himself an apolitical person, said.

He also announced to launch a fast if Arjun Singh's statue was not removed from the place.

He said that he has got assurance from the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister's Office (CMO) about suitable action in this regard.

Amit also said that he also met Governor Lalji Tandon seeking his help on the issue.

Meanwhile, Bhopal mayor Alok Sharma of the BJP claimed that the officers installed Singh's statue without consulting him.

"Singh's statue should be shifted to some other place," said Sharma, who visited the controversial spot along with Amit.

A civic official, however, said that the municipal body would follow the directives of the state government in this regard.

Earlier last week, BJP corporators had also submitted a memorandum to the divisional commissioner opposing the installation of Arjun Singh's statue at this place.

On November 10, BJP national vice president and former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had demanded reinstallation of Azad's bust at its original location.

"Madhya Pradesh is ashamed because of the treatment meted out to the bust of great revolutionary Azad. Those responsible for this should be punished. We demand the statue of the great son of mother India (Azad) be re-installed with due respect. Otherwise, the country will never be able to forgive itself," Chouhan had said in a tweet.

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