New Delhi: In a shocking move, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led NDA government at the Centre has given the Red Fort, a 17th century monument built by Shah Jahan to 77-year-old Dalmia Bharat group for adaptation in a contract worth Rs 25 crore spanning five years.
The Dalmia Bharat group won the contract by beating IndiGo Airlines and the GMR group in the race to bag one of the most prestigious contracts under the Indian government's ‘Adopt A Heritage’ scheme.
As per the agreement, the corporate giant would build basic infrastructure around the monument and maintain it.
Meanwhile, the government has dismissed opposition allegations that it is trying to "privatise" India's heritage, saying that the contract signed with Dalmia Bharat Group giving it access to the Red Fort does not entail any profit-making activity.
"No profit activity will take place," Union minister Mahesh Sharma clarified on Saturday. He said that Dalmia Group has been assigned the task of adding value to the services being provided to tourists visiting the historic monument.
"The President announced a scheme on World Tourism Day 2017 that those interested in value addition to any services of monuments can come forward. Some services of Red Fort have been given to the Dalmia Group," Sharma was quoted as saying by a news agency
Opposition questions
The Congress party on Saturday questioned the government's move to "lease out" the Mughal-era monument to a private entity.
In a question on Twitter, the Congress asked, "After handing over the Red Fort to the Dalmia group, which is the next distinguished location that the BJP government will lease out to a private entity? Parliament? Lok Kalyan Marg? Supreme Court? Or All of the above?"
"They are handing over the iconic monument to a private business. What is your commitment to the idea of India, to the history of India? We know you have no commitment, but we still want to ask you," Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera told reporters.
"Do you have dearth of funds. Why funds for the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) lapse, why do they lapse. See the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) reports. If they have paucity of funds, then why do they lapse?" he asked.
Calling the decision a "sad and dark day in (India's) history", TMC chief Mamata Banerjee asked why the government itself cannot take care of the monument.
"Why can’t the Government even take care of our historic Lal Qila? Red Fort is a symbol of our nation. It is where India’s flag is hoisted on Independence Day. Why should it be leased out ? Sad and dark day in our history," Banerjee tweeted.
TMC MP Derek O'Brien also took to Twitter to question the move. "Wah! So here is acche din. Red Fort being 'sold '? Now other national treasures ready to be auctioned to highest bidder. As Chairman Parliament Cmtee of Transport Tourism & Culture, can say matter was still being "discussed". Pledge to stop this," he wrote.
CPM reminded the Government that the Parliamentary Committee that went into the issue of handing over heritage sites to private entities had "decided against this unanimously".
The Left party in a statement said the government "virtually handed over the Red Fort to the Dalmia group". It urged the Government to rescind its decision.
Responding to opposition remarks, minister of state for tourism KJ Alphons said under the scheme started last year, the ministry is looking at public participation to develop heritage monuments.
"The companies involved in these projects will only spend and not make money. They will create amenities such as toilets, provide drinking water for the tourists so that their footfalls increase. They might put up signs outside to say that they have developed the amenities. If they are spending money, there is nothing wrong in taking credit for it," he said.
"I want to ask the Congress what they did for the past 70 years. All the monuments and facilities around them are in terrible shape. In some places, there were no facilities at all," he said.
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