Jallianwala trust members not taken into confidence

GS Paul

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Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 24

The Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust members were never taken into confidence while putting up a portrait of semi-nude women in a gallery of the monument.

The issue had triggered a row on July 19, when Rajya Sabha MP Shwait Malik chaired a review meeting with officials, unmindful of the controversial portrait that was captured in the background while clicking pictures. Following criticism, the portrait was removed the same evening.

In an endeavour to denote ancient artwork of sculptures that were discovered during excavations done in 1968 and 1985 at Sanghol, a small village in the Fatehgarh Sahib district, a printout of two semi-naked sculptures was placed alongside the image of Guru Nanak Dev and Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the gallery.

The Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust, headed by the Prime Minister, has Shwait Malik, former MP Tarlochan Singh, and former CM Parkash Singh Badal as members.

Tarlochan Singh said members were seldom taken into confidence while finalising the designing or renovation work. “I don’t think it was necessary to associate it with Jallianwala Bagh, which has a totally different essence. Except for the civil work provisions, the trust members were never discussed while sprucing up the galleries and the museum,” he said.

No entry ticket

With automated e-ticketing machines arriving at the site and a structure at the entrance gate, speculations are rife that entry into the Jallianwala Bagh would be levied once it re-opens. However, Tarlochan Singh said: “No entry fee will be charged at this historical site. The structure at the entrance could be utilised for security purpose”.