Roundup: Iconic monument maintenance sparks major row in India

NEW DELHI, May 2 (Xinhua) -- The Indian government's recent decision to hand over one of the country's iconic monuments -- the Red Fort in Delhi -- to a corporate house for five years for its upkeep has triggered a major row.

The Dalmia Bharat Group has been given a 3.7-million U.S. dollar contract by India's Tourism Ministry for maintaining the Red Fort for a period of five years, as part of "Adopt a Heritage Scheme" launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government last year. Under the scheme, the corporate house can use the site for marketing purposes.

The Red Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the 16th century for Delhi, which was then called Shahjahanabad.

Built in red sandstone, the Red Fort represents a fusion of Islamic, Persian and Hindu cultures. It was innovative in its planning and architectural design of building as well as the gardens that adorn it.

The fort was used extensively by the British military and, at present, it is a symbol of unity and independent India. Every year, the Indian prime minister hoists the flag from the Red Fort on August 15, the country's independence day, watched by millions across the world.

Though the Red Fort has over the years become a sign of neglect, historians, conservationists and people believe the government has put India on sale by auctioning off its iconic monuments.

"This monument is a symbol of India. It is the government's responsibility to maintain its historical sites. Do you know of any other country that leases out its historical sites to corporates in the name of maintenance? This is just crony capitalism," A.K. Pradhan, a Delhi-based conservationist, said Wednesday.

Even India's opposition parties have taken pot-shots at the government, calling the move a dark day in the history of India.

"They are handing over the iconic monument to a private business. What is your commitment to the idea of India, to the history of India? We know you have no commitment, but we still want to ask you. Do you have dearth of funds? Why funds for the state-run Archaeological Survey of India lapse, why do they lapse?" Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera told the media recently.

Incidentally, Indian Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma admitted in the Parliament last year that 24 historic structures across the country had disappeared altogether, having tumbled down entirely or been destroyed to make room for encroaching urban buildings.

Some conservationists say lack of a budget for heritage conservation is part of this problem. "There are no funds even for protected monuments i.e., those structures deemed crucial to India's heritage. Unprotected monuments are, of course, very often razed to the ground to make way for new structures. This is utter government apathy," said Soumya Aggarwal, an architect and conservation consultant.

Indian government's budgetary allocation to the Culture Ministry has grown, from around 13 billion rupees in 2011 to 25 billion rupees in 2016. But the 2016 figure -- which is meant to cover cultural events, promotions and heritage conservation -- still represented just 0.14 percent of the government's total planned expenditure for that year.

Experts say this is too less for a historically rich country like India, which is why some even defended the government's move on social media.

"Protection of country's heritage is everyone's responsibility. Clearly the government is not doing much. If a private company can save a monument, it should be considered a part of its corporate social responsibility. This is the only way heritage can be saved," voiced a supporter of the decision on Twitter.

Some even called the move innovative and an example of how new public-private partnerships should be forged. "There is a difference between selling a monument and adopting it for maintenance. Perhaps the next time we visit one of these monuments, we would not be chased by touts and guides. There might be better facilities like toilets and dustbins. It could be a world-class experience only if one takes the responsibility seriously," wrote Sudha Verma, a resident of Delhi, on Facebook.

Despite differences of opinion, experts point to the need of having a uniform policy about heritage and heritage conservation. "It is not the privilege of just anyone to manage our heritage. A policy is needed to decide if corporates should be involved in conservation and if yes, then to what extent," said Prof R.K. Ahluwalia, formerly of Delhi University. Enditem