Authorities dedicated to defending heritage websites: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat | India Information – Instances of India

NEW DELHI: Authorities is dedicated to defending the nation’s heritage, stated Union tradition and tourism minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Thursday, and in addition cautioned that it’s necessary to determine, expose and probe the “powers and mindset” making an attempt to hinder India’s progress.
His remarks got here in response to a query at a press convention on the measures being taken by the BJP-led NDA govt to bolster the cultural and tourism potential of India.
On the challenges posed by the clamour for surveys of historic websites just like the Mughal period mosque in Sambhal, the Ajmer Sharif dargah and world famend Taj Mahal amongst others, Shekhawat stated, “Undoubtedly, (submitting) a PIL in democratic India is a proper of an individual. How can I cease anybody? Nevertheless, there are powers and a mindset working behind this… (they) have to be seemed into, investigated…”
“Some persons are petrified of the progress and the pace of progress of the nation. By exposing these individuals, the government is working and making efforts with seriousness to protect the heritage of the nation,” he added.
In the meantime, in response to a query raised on Thursday in Lok Sabha pertaining to security and safety of monuments protected by the Archaeological Survey of India, Shekhawat stated that common watch and ward and safety has been offered. As per the information on deployment, there are 3,507 multi-tasking workers, 2,763 non-public safety and 592 CISF personnel.
On incidents of vandalism reported at protected monuments throughout the previous 5 years, govt’s reply exhibits that of the six incidents between 2019 to 2023, two occurred in UP the place a figurine in Kalinjar Fort was vandalised in 2023 and a statue was vandalised in Lalitpur district in 2022. The identical yr, vandalism was reported from Char Minar in Hyderabad. In Uttarakhand’s Almora district, a Shivling was vandalised in Mrityunjaya temple in 2021.
In Delhi, injury to the ticketing system, entrance gate and RR Barrack was reported in Purple Fort in 2021 and injury to the “jaali” in Zaffar Mahal in Mehrauli got here to gentle in 2023.
In Karnataka, a pillar was vandalised in a Vishnu temple at Kamalapura in 2019 and a copper ‘kalasa’ was faraway from Sadasiva temple in Hassan district in 2020. Two incidents of vandalism have been reported from Sisupalgarh Fort in Odisha in 2021 and 2023.