Casting Narasimha Rao's legacy in Bronze! Final approval awaited
Although the bureaucratic green signal is still awaited, officials from Telangana Bhavan and the NDMC stated that the proposal did not originate from their offices.
A Telangana Bhavan official mentioned that the Revanth Reddy-led state government is planning a new dedicated Bhavan for Telangana on Ashoka Road, making the statue installation premature.
The Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC) approved the proposal on March 27, forwarded by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).
Alongside the approval, the DUAC suggested repairing broken pavements around the site and installing appropriate lighting to enhance visibility at night, sources said.
Since its formation in 2014, Telangana has been sharing its Bhavan premises with Andhra Pradesh. The official emphasised that proceeding with a statue installation at this stage may not be appropriate.
The proposal reportedly came from the P.V. Narasimha Rao Memorial Foundation, which requested permission in April 2024 to install a bronze statue of Rao next to that of Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu, Andhra Pradesh's first Chief Minister.
The final decision regarding the statue's location -- inside or outside Telangana Bhavan -- and the timeline will depend on political approval.
If the Centre grants permission, this would be the third honour given to Rao by the BJP-led NDA government.
In 2015, the government approved a memorial for him at Ekta Sthal in the Rajghat Complex.
In February 2024, Rao was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour.
Rao is not the only Congress leader recognised by the BJP-led Centre. In January, the government approved memorials for former President Pranab Mukherjee and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the Rashtriya Smriti complex near Rajghat.
During his tenure as Prime Minister from 1991 to 1996, Rao played a pivotal role in economic liberalisation and witnessed the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992.
His relationship with Sonia Gandhi remained strained, and after his death in 2004, his body was notably absent from the Congress party headquarters.
Following the Bharat Ratna announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Rao as a distinguished scholar and statesman.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
3 minutes ago
- Indian Express
PM Modi in Varanasi tomorrow, to launch 52 projects worth 2,183.45 cr
PM Narendra Modi will on Saturday visit his parliamentary constituency, Varanasi, to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for 52 development projects worth Rs 2,183.45 crore, focusing on a boost to eastern UP development. The projects will be in key sectors such as road infrastructure, healthcare, education, sports, tourism and urban development. Initiatives include the construction and widening of roads, hospital upgrades, enhancement of educational institutions, improved drinking water and sanitation facilities, These will also boost development of sports infrastructure, establishment of a homeopathic college, construction of paved ghats for religious tourism, expansion of electricity and parking facilities, pond renovation and the setting up of libraries, animal hospitals and dog care centres, said a government statement. The PM will also release the 20th installment of the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, transferring Rs 20,500 crore to the bank accounts of over 9.70 crore eligible farmers across the country. A public meeting is scheduled at Banauli (Kalika Dham) village in the Sevapuri Assembly constituency, where both Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will address the gathering. Preparations are underway and the venue has been divided into 20 blocks, each overseen by dedicated officers, the statement said. This is the PM's 51st visit to Kashi. He is expected to arrive at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport around 10 am, from where he will proceed to the public meeting venue by helicopter. BJP leaders, including Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, will receive him at the airport. Extensive decorations are being put in place across Varanasi, including more than 1,000 hoardings, BJP flags and welcome arches at key locations.
The Hindu
3 minutes ago
- The Hindu
BJP members stage protest against Congress govt.
The Shivamogga district unit of the BJP staged a protest here alleging that the Congress government was responsible for the shortage of chemical fertilizers. The protest was led by BJP State unit president B.Y. Vijayendra. MP for Shivamogga B.Y. Raghavendra, former Minister Araga Jnanendra, Hartal Halappa, and others took part in a protest march in the city. Addressing the gathering, Mr. Vijayendra said that the State government had adopted anti-farmer policies. The State machinery had failed to provide chemical fertilizers to the farming community, though the Central government made available the sufficient stock. Further, he said that the State government had been harassing poor farmers by issuing them eviction notices. 'The Congress party came to power making tall promises to the farming community, but ended up punishing them. During the Congress rule, farmers' suicides also increased,' he alleged. Mr. Raghavendra said that the government had been issuing eviction notices to farmers who had been cultivating their land from the period well before the Forest Act came into effect. 'The farmers will not forget former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa who took several measures for the welfare of the farming community in his tenure,' he added. Legislators D.S. Arun, S.N. Channabasappa, Dhananjay Sarji, district BJP president N.K. Jagadish, and others were present.
New Indian Express
3 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
SC says growth of online betting apps issue of public importance, seeks states' responses
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday said the growth of online betting and loan applications is an issue of paramount public importance and sought responses of all states on regulating them. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi said it will hear the PIL filed by K A Paul, a Hyderabad-based businessman, which claimed that many children have died by suicide after using online betting and gambling applications, and sought interim direction to restrain celebrities from endorsing them and the media from giving them publicity. The bench said it is listing the matter for hearing on priority on August 18 and asked the states to respond to the plea expeditiously. Paul contended that the main issue of regulation of these betting applications can be adjudicated in due course, but what was required in the interim is that celebrities, including cricketers, be restrained from endorsing them as many youngsters who consider them role models start using these applications. "These celebrities should be immediately restrained and the media be asked not to show these endorsements as over 30 million teens are affected by using them. One Mahadev application was banned by the government, but there are several other applications," Paul, who appeared in person, submitted. Justice Kant agreed with the submission and said if the government bans one application, another application with another name but the same profile surfaces online the next day. The counsel appearing for the Centre, which was issued notice on May 23, said another top court bench is hearing the same issue where the moot question to be decided is whether these applications can be considered as online gambling and betting applications or whether these are games of skill. "The issue which is being heard for the last 30 days will have a direct bearing on the question raised in the PIL whether these are online betting and gambling applications," the counsel said, and sought deferment of hearing or tagging the matter with the pending petitions heard by a bench headed by Justice J B Pardiwala. The top court asked for the assistance of the attorney general and solicitor general in the matter and said if necessary, it would pass necessary directions on the interim prayers after hearing all the parties. On May 23, the top court said people were betting and gambling in the garb of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and sought the Centre's response on the PIL filed by Paul. The top court issued notice to the Centre on the PIL which alleged several online influencers, actors and cricketers are promoting such online apps, luring children in the process, and sought a complete ban on illegal betting apps, strict regulations on online gaming and fantasy sports, and enactment of a comprehensive law. Paul said in the case of cigarettes, their packets have pictures indicating the ill-effects of smoking, but in the case of betting apps, no such caution is publicised and even former Indian team cricketers promoted the applications during the IPL. Paul has claimed to represent "millions of parents" whose children have died in the past couple of years. "More than 1,023 people died by suicide in Telangana as 25 Bollywood and Tollywood actors/influencers played with the lives of the innocents," he said. He further said an FIR was lodged in Telangana against influencers, as the matter violated fundamental rights. Paul said in his plea that he moved the top court to safeguard the youth and vulnerable citizens from the perils of unregulated online betting and gambling disguised as fantasy sports and skill-based gaming. The plea said online betting has become a tool for money laundering, hawala transactions and illegal financial activities involving foreign entities, violating the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. Paul claimed thousands of families across India have suffered economic losses due to unregulated betting and loan apps and reports from the Enforcement Directorate and Cyber Crime divisions of Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam and Bengaluru highlight illegal betting syndicates leading to multiple suicides.
