Rekha unveils Bhagat Singh’s statue at Malviya Nagar park

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday unveiled a new statue of Bhagat Singh at a park in Malviya Nagar here on the occasion of Shaheed Diwas. She also took a sharp dig at the opposition for questioning the BJP government’s commitment to patriotism.

Addressing a gathering, Gupta recalled the political row that erupted after her government took office when the opposition criticised the removal of Bhagat Singh’s picture.

“They asked questions, but when Bhagat Singh’s statue was broken earlier, they never spoke about its repair. Where was their patriotism then? Today on Shaheed Diwas, we have installed a new statue because we truly honour our national heroes,” she said.

Calling it a special occasion, the Chief Minister acknowledged the presence of Malviya Nagar MLA Satish Upadhyaya and New Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj. “I want to tell Bansuri that she has a lot of work ahead in carrying forward the legacy of former CM Sushma Swaraj,” Gupta added.

The unveiling comes amid a controversy over the damaged statue, which had been in a state of neglect for nearly a year and a half. BJP MLA Satish Upadhyaya accused the previous AAP government of ignoring the statue.

“It is a matter of great pride for us that the statue of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, which was broken for so long, has finally been restored. The AAP only used martyrs for politics and did nothing for their legacy. The BJP, following the teachings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, believes in paying true tribute by preserving and respecting our heroes,” Upadhyaya said.

The AAP had earlier accused the BJP government of removing pictures of Bhagat Singh and Dr BR Ambedkar from the Chief Minister’s office, a charge the BJP denied, calling it a diversionary tactic to shift focus from corruption allegations against AAP leaders.

Shaheed Diwas, observed on March 23, marks the martyrdom of Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar, who were hanged in 1931. The three revolutionaries remain enduring symbols of courage and nationalism in India’s freedom struggle.