NEW DELHI: Government is committed to protecting the country’s heritage, said Union culture and tourism minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Thursday, and also cautioned that it’s important to identify, expose and probe the “powers and mindset” trying to hinder India’s progress.
His remarks came in response to a question at a press conference on the measures being taken by the BJP-headed NDA govt to bolster the cultural and tourism potential of India.
On the challenges posed by the clamour for surveys of historical sites like the Mughal era mosque in Sambhal, the Ajmer Sharif dargah and Taj Mahal among others, the Union minister said, “Definitely, (filing) a PIL in democratic India is a right of a person. How can I stop anyone? However, there are powers and a mindset working behind this… (they) need to be looked into, investigated…”
“Some people are scared of the progress and the speed of growth of the country. By exposing those people, the govt is working and making efforts with seriousness to preserve the heritage of the country,” Shekhawat added.
Meanwhile, in response to a question raised on Dec 2 in Lok Sabha pertaining to safety and security of monuments protected by the Archaeological Survey of India, Shekhawat said that regular watch and ward and security has been provided.
As per the data on deployment, there are 3,507 multi-tasking staff, 2,763 private security and 592 CISF personnel.
On incidents of vandalism reported at protected monuments during the past five years, govt’s reply shows that of the six incidents between 2019 to 2023, two happened in UP where a figurine in Kalinjar Fort was vandalised in 2023 and a statue was vandalised in Lalitpur district in 2022.
In Delhi, damage to ticketing system, entrance gate and RR Barrack was reported in Red Fort in 2021.
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