Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh: The recent collapse of several statues at the Mahakal Lok temple corridor in Ujjain has sparked a political storm in Madhya Pradesh, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress trading accusations over corruption and mismanagement. The incident, which occurred during a thunderstorm on Sunday, has become a contentious issue ahead of the state elections.
The Mahakal Lok temple corridor, housing a collection of 136 idols, is a significant religious site in Ujjain, associated with one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. The corridor was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October last year. The statues, ranging from 10 to 25 feet in height and weighing 3 quintals each, are made of Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) and placed on 10-ft pillars.
According to reports, six out of the seven statues fell from their pedestals, and two were damaged due to the thunderstorm, which had wind speeds ranging from 45 to 55 km per hour. Taking advantage of the situation, the Congress party accused the ruling BJP of corruption in the construction and installation of the statues, forming a fact-finding team to investigate the matter.
The probe committee, led by former Chief Minister Kamal Nath, alleged massive corruption and demanded an investigation by a sitting High Court judge. Former minister and senior Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma, who headed the team, stated, “We don’t believe in any government agency. Which is why we want a sitting High Court judge to investigate this matter.”
In response, the BJP accused the Congress of politicizing the issue and attempting to hurt religious sentiments. Minister of Urban Development Bhupendra Singh pointed out that Sajjan Singh Verma, as the minister-in-charge of Ujjain when the presentation was done, had signed the proceedings. He questioned why the Congress was raising the issue now and reminded them that the Chief Secretary had praised the tender prepared by the BJP government.
The BJP announced that the damaged statues would not be repaired but replaced with new ones. As the statues were under the Defect Liability Period (DLP), the contractor would be responsible for reinstalling the idols. Documents revealed that the project was approved by the Ujjain Smart City in January 2019, during the Congress government’s tenure. The payments for the project were made by the Congress government in early 2019.
The state Lokayukta, Justice NK Gupta, has ordered a preliminary inquiry into the matter. A team of technical experts will conduct an on-site inspection to determine the causes of the collapse. The probe will focus on key aspects, including the decision to use FRP-based statues, adherence to quality parameters, the strength of the base, and the possibility of corruption by public servants.
This incident has intensified the political rivalry between the BJP and the Congress in Madhya Pradesh. With the state elections approaching, both parties are using the statue collapse as ammunition to attack each other. As the Lokayukta investigation progresses, it remains to be seen how this issue will impact the political landscape in the state.
