Red Fort Row : Historians’ body asks for ‘Dalmia deal’ suspension
NEW DELHI, May 3 : Wading into the controversy over adoption of the Red Fort by the Dalmia Bharat group, the Indian History Congress (IHC) on Wednesday said it is “greatly perturbed” that a cement company with “no known experience of maintenance of monuments” has been involved in preservation of a major national monument.
Describing the terms on which the Red Fort has been “handed over” as “disturbingly broad,” the IHC said the company can “construct” as well as “landscape,” and alleged that it has also been allowed to run an “interpretation center.”
In a statement to the Press, IHC has expressed its dismay over the “freedom allowed to the Aga Khan Trust to interfere with the basic structures, decorations and ornamentation of Mughal monuments in the Humayun Tomb complex.” It said, “The way the Red Fort is being entrusted to Dalmia Bharat is still more troubling for the company has no claim to any experience in maintenance, conservation, preservation and interpretation of monuments.”
The academic body of Indian historians also claimed there is “ample room for the fear” that in order to attract tourist traffic Dalmia Bharat may “propagate false or unproven interpretations of particular structures in the complex.”
IHC has demanded that the decision be “impartially reviewed” by the Central Advisory Board of Archaeology or another body of experts. It also said the Dalmia ‘deal’ should be suspended until then.
Heritage conservationist Sohail Hashmi also questioned the logic in letting Dalmia commit Rs. 5 crore annually for the maintenance of amenities at the Red Fort in return for branding, when ticket sales generate higher revenue.
Hashmi said Red Fort got 24 lakh visitors in 2010, of which 1.4 lakh were foreigners, which meant it can avail significant benefit to the group.
