Amritsar, October 30
Owing to the heightened tension in the region, the venue for the night stay of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, who is coming here on November 2 in connection with the national executive meeting of the BJP, is being kept a ‘top secret’. He will be the first Prime Minister since Independence to be staying in this border city over night.
The Prime Minister will be visiting the city twice in a fortnight — the second time for the bicentenary celebrations of Maharaja Ranjit Singh scheduled to be held from November 13 to 18.
The scheduled visits of the Prime Minister and other VIPs, including Chief Ministers of various states, has converted this city into a police cantonment. The beefed-up security will definitely dampen the spirit of Divali which falls on November 14. The business community feels that festivities will be hampered and retailers from outside the district will not come here for buying crackers and sweets.
While the leadership of the BJP is busy making arrangements for the smooth holding of the national executive, the state government has been making all-out efforts for preparations of the bicentenary celebrations. The Summer Palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Ram Bagh here is being given a face-lift to mark the occasion.
The museum in the Summer Palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh has been closed for renovation work. Mr Raman Kumar, in charge of the museum of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Ram Bagh said, a replica of “Delhi Darbar” was being brought here from Lahore.
Also replicas of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s throne and paintings, manuscripts, arms and armour were being brought here by Dr Jean Marle Lafant from the French Embassy for exhibition.
The building as well as the garden were constructed under the supervision of Faquir Azizuddin, Sardar Desa Singh Majithia and his son Lehna Singh. This Summer Palace is now protected under the Punjab Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1964.
