New Delhi: It seems for Congressmen respect for leaders is limited only to words. If you go near the canteen located in the party office, you can see two busts of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi lying under a tree in dilapidated condition. Though thousands of party workers and senior leaders visit the party headquarters at Akbar Road adjacent to party president Sonia Gandhi's official residence, it seems no one has even noticed these broken busts.
"I don't know when these busts were kept here. But I have been noticing them for the last couple of months. It seems people have forgotten these are the busts of one of the greatest leaders of the party and the country," said an office bearer on condition of anonymity.
The busts were originally white in colour, but have faded now. Both have their noses broken and even the eyes are damaged. It seems they have been dumped there since long as one can notice the effects of weather on them.
The busts are visible to anyone who moves around the party office. When some workers were asked why they have been lying in such state, they said it was for party bosses to figure out.
"Except for top leaders like Sonia and Rahul and those who have offices within the party headquarters, most leaders who have their meals in the restaurant here pass through this area. I wonder how they have overlooked this neglect," said another worker, on the condition of anonymity. Ironically, at official functions and Indira's birthday, party workers come out in full strength to pay homage and show their 'love and respect' for the departed leader, leaving no stone unturned to attract the attention of Sonia Gandhi, Indira's daughter-in-law. But after the function is over, it seems the leader is pushed into oblivion.
"We have noticed the busts lying in such miserable state and have even informed the office administrators about it, but it seems no one is bothered. We can't do anything on our own," said a veteran worker.
MiD DAY tried to get official reactions from party spokespersons, but they were unavailable for comments.
Statue power
BSP leader Mayawati has erected a number of statues of Buddhist and Dalit icons like Bhimrao Ambedkar, Shahuji Maharaj, Gautam Buddha, BSP founder Kanshi Ram, and even of herself across Uttar Pradesh.
The statues and the memorial parks in which they have been erected are said to have cost the UP exchequer Rs 2,000 crore. In February 2010, Mayawati's government approved a plan for a special force to protect the statues as she feared that her political opponents might demolish them.
'No more statues'
In 2010, a high powered committee of Parliament headed by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar had decided that no more statues should be installed in Parliament complex in the future as it is already over-crowded with statues of high-profile figures. The committee said that if there is any need for a statue, permission for the same could be given but in such cases proposals would have to be sent to the Heritage Committee of the Parliament and they would be taken further only after the committee's nod.
The committee decided in the meeting that only a symbolic unveiling of the portraits would be allowed and after that the portrait would be handed over to the Parliament library. At present, there are more than 50 statues and portraits of national and regional leaders in the Parliament.
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