Unveil Bhagat Singh's statue...or we'll do it: BJP to Punjab
What's the story
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has given the Punjab government a 72-hour ultimatum to unveil a 30-foot statue of Shaheed Bhagat Singh at Chandigarh International Airport. The statue, located at Nishan-E-Inquilab Plaza, has been covered for months. Punjab BJP Vice President Subhash Sharma threatened that if the government doesn't act within this time, his party will take matters in their own hands.
Inauguration delay
Delayed inauguration sparks criticism from BJP
The statue was originally scheduled to be inaugurated by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on September 28, on the occasion of Bhagat Singh's birth anniversary. However, the event was delayed for unknown reasons. Administrative officers have blamed the model code of conduct in place during the recent elections for the delay. Sharma slammed the AAP-led government for its inaction, despite its vocal support for Bhagat Singh's ideologies.
Protest staged
BJP protests over delayed unveiling of Bhagat Singh's statue
The BJP held a protest on Thursday, led by Sharma and local district president Sanjeev Vashisht. They called for immediate action from the government on the statue's unveiling. Senior police officials, including SSP Deepak Pareek, were present at the protest site where tensions rose over disagreements on security concerns over videography. A senior administrative officer has cited December 3 as a possible unveiling date, depending on CM Mann's availability.
Project details
Statue details and project cost revealed
The gunmetal statue was installed on August 2 after a tender was floated last year. The entire project cost ₹642.4 lakh, including plaza beautification. Sharma thanked the central government for naming the airport after Bhagat Singh but slammed CM Mann for ignoring the unveiling ceremony. He emphasized Punjab's youth want to see their martyr's statue unveiled and not listen to unfulfilled promises.