Conservation of heritage monuments is a way too serious matter to be handed over to a corporate company or to a generalist bureaucrat.
Recently, Government’s decision to hand over Red Fort maintenance to Bharat Dalmia Group and providing of basic facilities like drinking water, restaurant, tactile paths, clean toilets etc in exchange of Rs. 25 Crore and permission for placing their name inside the Red Fort has led to a huge debate. The opposition has also accused the current Government of selling off the symbol of our National Freedom to corporates.
The Red Fort not just any symbol of our Freedom but is more than that. In the year 1857, Bahadur Shah Zafar led the fight for our country’s independence from here. This is also one of the main reasons why Pandit Nehru, our first Prime Minister, decided to address the Nation every 15 August from its ramparts. Because of so many emotions involved with this, it is natural that so many questions are being raised on the fact the Government has handed over this great monument to a corporate house for maintaining it.
You cannot just sell off the national monuments to anyone like this and that too allowing them to market themselves inside the monument. For such things, we need better and transparent policies which should include historians and archaeologists and other experts from heritage conservation department to make such schemes. Also, we should understand the fact that Heritage conservation is a way too serious matter and in a country like ours, many emotions are also attached to them.
Also, the government and the corporate must understand the fact that Heritage conservation and brand promotions are two different things. Also, in the name of CSR, one should not be allowed to have the privilege of marketing themselves. Also, if you are seeking brand promotions you should definitely move to metro stations and other places to market themselves and do it ethically.
