The Dalmia Bharat group, a corporate house signed an agreement with the tourism ministry and got the mandate to maintain the iconic Red Fort on Saturday. This agreement came under ‘Adopt a Heritage’ project, in which the entity would maintain the monument and build basic infrastructure around it. The Dalmia Bharat group has committed a sum of Rs 25 crore for the purpose over a period spanning five years. This move is attracting reactions from the people across the nation. Criticising the step, the opposition party Congress, however, questioned how a private entity was given the mandate to maintain the Red Fort.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera questioned BJP government over handing the iconic monument to a private business. He said, “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.” To which Minister of State for Tourism K J Alphons reacted by saying, “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.”
Meanwhile, CPI leader Sitaram Yechury and Bollywood actor Taapsee Pannu also reacted to the agreement. In his reaction on Twitter Yechury said that government should reverse its decision of privatising the Red Fort. While voicing her opinion Pannu wrote, “I don’t even want to start with who to blame for this!”
Here take a look at how Twitter reacted to the adoption of the Red Fort:
Is this happening for real???!!!
This is what it has come to ???? I don’t even want to start with who to blame for this!
https://t.co/9q8DEPHFIx— taapsee pannu (@taapsee) April 27, 2018
There must be better ways of maintaining a nation’s greatest monuments than by auctioning them off to a corporate househttps://t.co/uO66Rr4Hu1
— William Dalrymple (@DalrympleWill) April 27, 2018
Government has auctioned Red Fort to Dalmia group for 25 Crore for 5 years. Next in line is Taj Mahal.
मैं तुम्हारे लिए ताज महल ले आऊँगा is going to true! under “Adopt a Heritage” scheme. ???????????? pic.twitter.com/Mynszt72Ny
— IRFAN (@simplyirfan) April 28, 2018
Government to hand-over Red Fort to Dalmia Group.
Bhakts are hopping mad over the ‘Mia’ in Dalmia! ????
— Sanjiv Bhatt (IPS) (@sanjivbhatt) April 28, 2018
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? #IndiaSpeaks
— Congress (@INCIndia) April 28, 2018
Stop Privatising India’s Heritage: The Parliamentary Committee that went into the issue of handing over heritage sites to private corporate had decided against this unanimously. Govt should reverse its decision of privatising the Red Fort https://t.co/ymvZcawLdA
— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) April 28, 2018
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
— Derek O’Brien (@derekobrienmp) April 28, 2018
Red Fort to become Dalmia Bharat’s Red Fort. Good that a corporate house came forward to restore a monument as huge as the Red Fort. However, history, particularly medieval, is being dragged into unsavoury controversies. ASI need to keep a close watch, if that works at all.
— S lrfan Habib (@irfhabib) April 28, 2018
#RedFort Does adopt the monument means maintaining it from sale of tickets to public? This government is really a Banya government. Paisa ander aana chahiye, sale anything. Hope the time doesn’t come when the country is sold to a corporate. How does Reliance India sounds?
— Vishnu Kerkar (@trobleshuter) April 28, 2018
The Dalmia Bharat group has agreed to provide certain basic amenities at the 17th century monument within six months. These include providing drinking water kiosks, street furniture-like benches and signages to guide the visitors, according to the ministry.
