‘Lakshmi Bai statue’s installation won’t endanger prayer rights’

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court was on Monday informed by civic authorities that the rights of persons offering prayers at the Shahi Idgah Park at Sadar Bazar here would not be endangered by the installation of freedom fighter Maharani Lakshmi Bai’s statue.

The court was also informed that the statue has been installed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) at the park.

A bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela consequently disposed of a plea filed by the Shahi Idgah Managing Committee challenging the installation of the freedom fighter’s statue noting that the issue had been mutually resolved by the parties.

The committee had moved against a single judge’s order that refused directions to restrain the installation of the statue of the historical figure.

During the hearing, the counsel appearing for the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and MCD said that the rights of persons offering prayers at the site in question had not been endangered by the installation of the statute and the adjoining boundary wall.

Following the submissions, the bench recorded it and disposed of the appeal.

“The counsel for DDA and MCD state that the appeal has become infructuous as the statue of

Maharani Lakshmi Bai has been installed at one corner of the Idgah Park, owned by DDA, and that too after construction of a boundary wall. They clarified that the right of the appellant to offer prayers and perform prayers is not endangered in any manner by the installation of the statue or the boundary wall,” the bench noted.

The appellant’s counsel informed the bench that the mistrust that had brewed between the parties had been resolved.