Rajsamand (Rajasthan): Rajsamand MP Mahima Kumari and Nathdwara MLA Vishwaraj Singh Mewar, members of the Mewar royal family, raised questions on President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to Udaipur City Palace. They said the palace is a controversial place. The officials have been informed about all its protocols through a letter. Still, the President visited it, which is against her dignity as meeting some members without informing the head of the family would send a wrong message to the public.
A letter was written to the President informing her about the important facts and requesting an amendment to her schedule for Udaipur. But the President visited the city palace as per her pre-scheduled program.
Another royal family member Laxyaraj Singh Mewar said the matter of the palace is currently pending in the High Court which will decide who is right. Those who make allegations should do it themselves.
Udaipur Collector Arvind Poswal said the President was on a personal visit to the city palace. No information was sought from the administration nor any comment was made.
President Murmu attended the 32nd convocation of Mohanlal Sukhadia University on Thursday as part of her Udaipur visit. She also dropped by the City Palace, where Dr Laxyaraj Singh Mewar and his wife Nivriti Kumari welcomed her and told her about the glorious history of sacrifice, martyrdom, valour, self respect of the valiant Maharanas of Mewar including Maharana Pratap, Rana Sanga. Governor Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde and Deputy CM Dr Premchand Bairwa were also present with the President.
Mahima Kumari said the court stay on the City Palace is pending along with the application of contempt. Information was sent to all the officials including OSD and the Protocol Officer on the tour of the disputed site. The President has a different dignity, so it is not right for his dignity to go to the City Palace. Kumari also tried to talk to the Udaipur Collector, but couldn’t. She also spoke to the district collector and expressed her dissatisfaction over the Presidential visit. She alleged that the district collector did not give complete information to the senior officer and the President.
Vishwaraj Singh Mewar said a letter was sent to all the protocol officers of the President to inform them about an ongoing dispute at the city palace where the court has ordered a stay. A tempt application is also pending with the Supreme Court on some parts of the property. It has been a disputed place for many years, and the district court and the tax department have also considered it as HUF. In such a situation, if the President visits the property without asking about or meeting the elders of the family, then would be against the dignity of the President.
The President had come to the city palace on the invitation of Dr Lakshyaraj Singh whose wife Nivriti Kumari belongs to the former royal family of Odisha.
As the President also hails from Odisha, the duo discussed the relations between the two royal families. Singh’s father-in-law, Kanak Vardhan Singh Dev, is currently the Deputy CM of Odisha and his mother-in-law, Sangeeta Kumari Singh Dev, is an MP from the Balangir Lok Sabha constituency.
