Centre asked UP govt to remove Ram Lalla idol in 1949 after Pakistan Radio claimed that Hindus were capturing places vacated after partition: Ex Secretary Raghvendra Singh
The Uttar Pradesh government under the then Chief Minister Govind Ballabh Pant was asked by the Central government in 1949 to ensure the removal of the idol of Ram Lalla days after the news percolated of its sudden appearance and Pakistan Radio showed the news stressing that Hindus are capturing the space vacated by a certain community after Partition, recalled Raghvendra Singh, former Union Culture Secretary and ex-director of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library while explaining the pressure his grandfather Guru Dutt Singh, the then Faizabad city magistrate and additional district magistrate faced.
He (Guru Dutt Singh) obviously took cognisance of that and reported to the state government and which wanted that the ‘murti’ (the idol of Ram Lalla) which appeared on the night of December 22-23 of 1949 be removed forthwith “that it was not possible”, Raghvendra told ANI.
Raghvendra said it was all due to Pakistan Radio’s announcement which would obviously whether it was Kashmir or another major issue in our country keep on coming up with really false, sensational and mischievous reports.
“So, they (Pakistan Radio) came out with the report and that is how perhaps Delhi got to know…Pakistan Radio showed the Indians are now trying to occupy the space vacated by one section of the community since the Partition has taken place,” said Raghvendra.
#WATCH | "…The pressure that was being exerted that this cannot be, and fully knowing the sentiments of a large majority of people, but for the fact that certain section of the community may bear a grudge against the party of that time in power, be it Centre or State. I think… pic.twitter.com/7WPs3qUzCm
— ANI (@ANI) January 18, 2024
The former secretary pointed “When this happened (Ram Lalla idol appeared) on the night of December 22-23 of 1949, the news percolated around in the morning and it spread like fire.”
“A point in fact which had to be taken under consideration by the then City Magistrate who happened to be my Baba (grandfather), he obviously took cognisance of that and reported to the state government and which had wanted that the murti be removed forthwith that it was not possible.”
As per Raghvendra, the state government had asked for the “removable of the ‘Ram Lalla’ idol because they were being asked by the Central government to do that.”
“So, when he (my grandfather) reported the way he did, that went against him. When it was reported back to the centre, certain clear directions came and based on which the then UP Chief Minister Govind Ballabh Pant made an immediate dash to the district Headquarters Faizabad.”
“Before Pant could come to Faizabad, as of the protocol, the government officials would go and receive him at the boundary of the district. So, my grandfather went to receive him at the boundary of the district and told him that it was not possible for him to be brought over to the spot because the devotees had gotten an impression that the state government as well as the Central government wanted to remove the statue of Ram Lalla, and they would resist that,” Raghvendra explained the situation his grandfather faced.
“If they resist that and we try and implement the order, there would be a law and order situation. And Pant’s presence at that time would be a risk that my grandfather would not want to take.”
Raghvendra said, “Debate got heated up and Mr Pant said basically what Guru Dutt ji was suggesting that neither would you take responsibility for mine neither would you carry out my orders for the removal of this statue.”
“So, this will actually lead to some serious repercussions which you understand what is going to happen,” the clear message, Raghvendra said, his grandfather was conveyed.
“My grandfather stood his ground and he did not allow CM to go to the spot, which I think was the big decision in itself, and not satisfied at all with what had transpired, the CM returned to the state headquarters,” he added.
Knowing fully well what was to follow and before it could follow, Raghvendra said, “My grandfather decided to tender his resignation.” “He immediately tendered his resignation.”
“But before he did that, he passed two orders: one was an executive order that the ‘puja-archana’ (prayer) at the Ram Chabootara and at the ‘garbh-grah (sanctum sanctorum) where Ram Lala idol was there should be carried on without any obstruction, and secondly that there should be promulgation of Section 144 of CrPC which would ensure that there would be no assemblage of a kind which would lead to confrontation with the other set of people who were already there. And these two orders were implemented. But, my grandfather tendered the resignation.”
“My grandfather’s luggage was removed at midnight and was put on the road and he was asked to leave his official residence,” said Raghvendra, who got emotional while speaking to ANI.
“He (my grandfather) spent the whole night on the road with his family. Thereafter, he shifted to the flat of one of his friends Bhagwati Babu, and also his pension was stopped. So that was the small prize he paid for the decision he had taken. But, looking back, I think it was a brave and crucial decision that he had taken. People of that area know about it,” he added.
Asked what kind of pressure the then Central government would have faced, Raghvendra, “It was a muse which was relayed. The pressure which was being exerted… Fully knowing the sentiments of the large majority of people, but the fact that a certain section of the community may actually not like the idea and may bear a grudge against the party of that time and power at the Centre or the state. I think that was the pressure the then Prime Minister must have faced or the then CM of the United Province must have faced.”
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
