New Delhi [India], February 24 : After C Rajagopalachari's bust was unveiled at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut launched a sharp attack on the Centre, questioning its stance on "ghulami" (slavery).
Raut took aim at India's foreign policy decisions, asking why the government engages with the United States and US President Donald Trump if it opposes "ghulami."
He challenged the India-US trade deal, criticised the Rafale jet purchase from France, and highlighted contributions of diverse figures, including Lutyens, in building New Delhi.
"If you talk about 'ghulami' then, why did you become 'ghulam' of Trump? If you hate 'ghulami' so much, then you should cancel the India-US trade deal...Why did you buy Rafael from France?...Many people, including Lutyen's, contributed to the building of New Delhi," he said.
His remarks come after President Droupadi Murmu on Monday unveiled a bust of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, the first and only Indian Governor General of independent India, at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
On Monday, Matt Ridley, great-grandson of Edwin Lutyens, expressed his sadness over the removal of Lutyens' bust from Rashtrapati Bhavan, which was replaced by a bust of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari.
Riddley, who is the great-grandson of Edwin Lutyens, the architect of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, said in a post on X, "Sad to read that the bust of Lutyens (my great-grandfather) is to be removed from the presidential palace he designed in Delhi. Here I am with it last year. I wondered at the time why his name had been removed from the plinth."
The bust of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, situated at the Grand Open Staircase near Ashok Mandap, replaces the bust of Edwin Lutyens.
The President's official handle on X posted, "This initiative is part of a series of steps being taken towards shedding the vestiges of the colonial mindset and embracing, with pride, the richness of India's culture, heritage, timeless traditions and honouring those who served Bharat Mata with their extraordinary contributions."
C Rajaopalachari was born on December 10, 1878, in Madras Presidency. He was a lawyer and intellectual among many other things. He is regarded as an early political comrade of Mahatma Gandhi, who left his legal practice to join the Indian National Congress and later participated in various protests against the British Crown.