{"id":3881,"date":"2026-05-08T05:49:47","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T05:49:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/untoldpages.in\/?p=3881"},"modified":"2026-05-09T04:40:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T04:40:08","slug":"demolition-of-british-legacy-monuments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/untoldpages.in\/?p=3881","title":{"rendered":"DEMOLITION OF BRITISH LEGACY MONUMENTS"},"content":{"rendered":"

TOPIC 6<\/h1>\n

New India Construction or History Destruction?<\/h2>\n
\n

In February 2026, a bronze bust of British architect Edwin Lutyens was quietly removed from the central courtyard of Rashtrapati Bhavan \u2014 a building he himself designed nearly a century ago. In its place now stands C. Rajagopalachari, India\u2018s first and only Indian Governor-General. Prime Minister Modi called it \u201cfreedom from the mentality of slavery.\u201d Critics call it the selective erasure of history \u2014 a politically motivated demolition of India\u2019s pluralistic, layered past. This article investigates whether the removal of colonial monuments is genuine decolonisation or a saffron strategy to rewrite history.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

WHAT<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 A systematic government-led effort to remove, relocate, or recontextualise monuments, statues, and architectural symbols associated with British colonial rule, replacing them with figures and symbols from India\u2018s Hindu and nationalist heritage.<\/p>\n

WHO<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Led by Prime Minister Modi and the BJP government, executed through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Culture, and central public works departments.<\/p>\n

WHEN<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Accelerated dramatically after 2014, with major projects in 2022 (Central Vista\/Kartavya Path), 2023 (new Parliament, Sengol installation), and 2026 (Lutyens bust removal).<\/p>\n

WHERE<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Primarily in New Delhi\u2019s Central Vista (Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament complex, Rajpath\/Kartavya Path), but also across state capitals and colonial-era institutions nationwide.<\/p>\n

WHY<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Officially to \u201cdecolonise\u201d public spaces, shed \u201ccolonial baggage,\u201d and \u201creclaim Indian heritage.\u201d Critics argue the real goals are: (1) erasing visible reminders of India\u2018s Muslim and colonial past; (2) consolidating Hindutva political identity; and (3) rewriting collective memory for electoral gain.<\/p>\n

HOW<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Through executive orders, redevelopment projects, museum relocations, and \u2014 controversially \u2014 bypassing parliamentary oversight and heritage conservation protocols.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Demolition
Demolition of British legacy monuments<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\n

THE LANDMARK CASE: LUTYENS BUST REMOVED, RAJAJI INSTALLED (FEBRUARY 2026)<\/p>\n

The most symbolic and recent act in this campaign occurred on February 23, 2026, when President Droupadi Murmu unveiled a bust of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, replacing the bronze bust of Sir Edwin Lutyens that had stood there for decades\u00a0.<\/p>\n

Who Was Edwin Lutyens?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Attribute<\/th>\nDetail<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Role<\/td>\nChief architect of New Delhi (1912-1931)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Key Works<\/td>\nRashtrapati Bhavan (Viceroy\u2018s House), India Gate, Parliament House (original), Rajpath (now Kartavya Path)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Legacy<\/td>\n\u201cLutyens\u2018 Delhi\u201d \u2014 the administrative heart of the capital \u2014 bears his name<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Symbolism<\/td>\nEmbodiment of British imperial power and architectural ambition<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

The Government\u2018s Justification:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Prime Minister Modi, in his monthly \u201cMann Ki Baat\u201d broadcast on February 22, 2026, framed the move as essential to national liberation: \u201cDuring the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, I spoke of the \u2018Panch-Pran\u2019 from the Red Fort. One of them is freedom from the mentality of slavery. Today, the country is leaving behind the symbols of slavery and has begun to value symbols related to Indian culture\u201d\u00a0.<\/p>\n

President Murmu\u2018s office issued a statement: \u201cThis initiative is part of series of steps being taken towards shedding the vestiges of colonial mindset and embracing, with pride, the richness of India\u2018s culture, heritage, timeless traditions and honouring those who served Bharat Mata with their extraordinary contributions\u201d\u00a0.<\/p>\n

Why Rajaji?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rajagopalachari was India\u2018s first and only Indian Governor-General (1948-1950), a close associate of Gandhi, and a respected statesman who once lived in the same building\u00a0. The choice was also politically strategic: with Tamil Nadu assembly elections approaching, honoring a Tamil icon \u2014 especially one not associated with Dravidian parties \u2014 was widely seen as outreach to the state where the BJP has historically struggled\u00a0.<\/p>\n

Opposition Criticism:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut attacked the government\u2018s inconsistency, asking why India engages with the United States and Donald Trump if it truly opposes \u201cghulami\u201d (slavery). \u201cIf you hate \u2018ghulami\u2019 so much, then you should cancel the India-US trade deal… Many people, including Lutyens, contributed to the building of New Delhi,\u201d he said\u00a0.<\/p>\n

PDP leader Iltija Mufti questioned the entire premise: \u201cHow does it help India to continue with this warped misplaced sense of anger towards its history? This constant obsession of wiping off the \u2018colonial hangover\u2019? Lutyens makes Delhi what it is. You cannot efface heritage or history by removing busts & plaques. Most of India\u2018s architectural marvels are British & Mughal. Big deal\u201d\u00a0.<\/p>\n

The Great-Grandson\u2018s Objection:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Matt Ridley, a British biologist and Lutyens\u2019 great-grandson, expressed sadness over the removal: \u201cSad 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\u201d\u00a0. After the removal, he clarified: \u201cI understand India\u2018s wish to remove colonial statues but he was an architect, not a viceroy\u201d\u00a0.<\/p>\n

Where Did the Bust Go?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Lutyens bust was not destroyed \u2014 it was relocated to the Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum, where it will be displayed alongside other colonial-era artefacts including statues of King George V and Queen Mary\u00a0. This museum placement, while preserving the object, removes it from public prominence \u2014 effectively demoting it from celebration to contextualisation.<\/p>\n

\n

THE CENTRAL VISTA REDEVELOPMENT: RAJPATH TO KARTAVYA PATH (2022)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The renaming of Rajpath to Kartavya Path in September 2022 was the flagship project of the government\u2018s decolonisation drive, announced as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav\u00a0.<\/p>\n

What Changed:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Old Name<\/th>\nNew Name<\/th>\nYear<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Rajpath (Kingsway)<\/td>\nKartavya Path<\/td>\n2022<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
North Block\/South Block<\/td>\nKartavya Bhavan\/Seva Teerth<\/td>\n2025-26<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
PMO location<\/td>\nRelocated from South Block to \u201cSeva Teerth\u201d<\/td>\n2025<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

The \u20b92.7 billion ($2.7 billion) Central Vista project \u2014 which included a new Parliament building, reorganized ministerial offices, and major landscaping changes \u2014 was heavily criticised by urban planners, architects, and conservationists\u00a0.<\/p>\n

The Redevelopment Justification:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Union Minister of Urban Affairs framed the project as building \u201cNew India\u201d and argued that North Block and South Block \u201cremind us of colonial rule\u201d\u00a0. Yet as one critic noted: \u201cIf we make South Block a museum of colonial rule, are we not perpetuating the memory of the colonial rule which we wish to erase?\u201d\u00a0.<\/p>\n

The Conservation Controversy:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) was reportedly unaware of the redevelopment plans until they were announced\u00a0. Urban planners pointed out that the existing buildings \u2014 nearly a century old \u2014 are solid, earthquake-proof, and perfectly functional. \u201cIn several decades, no earthquake did any damage to these two buildings… There was no occasion to feel any discomfort or inefficiency in any way,\u201d wrote a former civil servant\u00a0.<\/p>\n

The Real Issue:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Beyond conservation, critics argued the project was a form of \u201cstate-sponsored architectural nationalism\u201d \u2014 using the built environment to project a new, majoritarian vision of India\u00a0. The timing, during the COVID-19 pandemic when resources were scarce, was also questioned.<\/p>\n

\n

KINGSWAY CAMP TO GURU TEG BAHADUR NAGAR: A HISTORICAL PRECEDENT<\/strong><\/p>\n

The renaming and redevelopment of colonial spaces is not new \u2014 Kingsway Camp in Delhi was officially renamed Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi on December 12, 1970\u00a0.<\/p>\n

Historical Significance of Kingsway Camp:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Period<\/th>\nEvent<\/th>\nSignificance<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
1911<\/td>\nDelhi Durbar<\/td>\nKing George V announced shift of capital from Calcutta to Delhi<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1911<\/td>\nFoundation stone<\/td>\nLaid for Viceroy\u2018s residence (now Rashtrapati Bhavan) at this site<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1947-49<\/td>\nRefugee camp<\/td>\nLargest in Delhi \u2014 housed 300,000 Partition refugees<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1970<\/td>\nRenamed<\/td>\nGuru Teg Bahadur Nagar (after 9th Sikh Guru)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

The 1970 renaming was a post-independence, pre-BJP act of decolonisation \u2014 suggesting that the desire to shed colonial names is not exclusively saffron. However, critics note that the current BJP campaign goes beyond renaming: it involves the active removal and replacement of colonial-era statues and memorials, often without public consultation or legislative process.<\/p>\n

\n

OTHER DECOLONISATION MEASURES UNDER MODI (2014-PRESENT)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Year<\/th>\nAction<\/th>\nDescription<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
2015<\/td>\nAurangzeb Road renamed<\/td>\nBecame Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Road<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2022<\/td>\nIndian Navy ensign changed<\/td>\nSt. George\u2018s Cross removed, Shivaji seal adopted<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2022<\/td>\nRajpath renamed<\/td>\nBecame Kartavya Path<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2023<\/td>\nNew Parliament inaugurated<\/td>\nOld building repurposed as Samvidhan Sadan<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2024<\/td>\nRailway uniform changed<\/td>\n19th-century British-era uniform discontinued<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2025<\/td>\nRaj Bhavans renamed<\/td>\nOfficial governor residences rechristened Lok Bhavans<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2025-26<\/td>\nPMO relocated<\/td>\nFrom colonial South Block to \u201cSeva Teerth\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026<\/td>\nLutyens bust removed<\/td>\nReplaced by Rajagopalachari bust<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Modi\u2018s Statement on the Navy Ensign (2022):<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cThe new Navy ensign has removed the \u2018slavery mindset\u2018 and is in line with the country\u2018s rich marine heritage\u201d\u00a0.<\/p>\n

The Railway Uniform Change (January 2026):<\/strong>\u00a0Indian railway employees were prohibited from wearing a 19th-century British-era uniform\u00a0.<\/p>\n

\n

THE ACADEMIC AND LEGACY DEBATE: MONUMENTS AS PROBLEMATIC OBJECTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Academic scholarship has grappled with the question of what to do with \u201cproblematic\u201d colonial monuments long before India\u2018s current debate\u00a0. The case of two British colonial monuments \u2014 to Cornwallis and Wellesley \u2014 at Mumbai\u2018s Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum offers an instructive precedent.<\/p>\n

The Mumbai Precedent (1965):<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Monument<\/th>\nFate<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Cornwallis statue<\/td>\nDecapitated, limbs removed before museum display<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wellesley statue<\/td>\nDecapitated, limbs removed before museum display<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Both statues were \u201cdecapitated and had several limbs removed\u201d by Indian authorities in the 1960s before being moved to the museum\u00a0. The museum\u2019s subsequent restoration (2003-2008) raised questions about \u201cinstitutional responsibility around the \u2018preservation\u2018 of problematic objects\u201d\u00a0.<\/p>\n

The Contemporary Framework:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The academic debate has intensified globally following movements like \u201cRhodes Must Fall\u201d in South Africa and the toppling of the Edward Colston statue during Black Lives Matter protests in Bristol (2020)\u00a0. India\u2018s approach \u2014 removing colonial statues from central public spaces while preserving them in museums \u2014 follows the \u201crecontextualisation\u201d model rather than outright destruction.<\/p>\n

Critics of the Indian Approach:<\/strong>\u00a0The removal of Lutyens\u2018 bust, unlike the destruction of Colston\u2018s statue (thrown into Bristol Harbour), was orderly and legal. However, critics argue that the government is conflating architecture with politics \u2014 Lutyens was an architect, not a Viceroy or military commander. \u201cHe was not a symbol of oppression; he was a designer,\u201d his great-grandson noted\u00a0.<\/p>\n

\n

THE POLITICAL MESSAGE: BEYOND DECOLONISATION<\/strong><\/p>\n

The removal of Lutyens\u2018 bust and the installation of Rajaji\u2019s, according to political analysis, carries a deliberate political message \u2014 especially for Tamil Nadu\u00a0.<\/p>\n

The Tamil Nadu Outreach:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Element<\/th>\nBJP Strategy<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Rajaji<\/td>\nTamil icon, not tied to Dravidian parties<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sengol (2023)<\/td>\nChola tradition linked to Tamil identity<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kashi Tamil Sangamam<\/td>\nCultural ties between Varanasi and Tamil Nadu<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2026 Assembly Elections<\/td>\nPotential BJP entry-point into Dravidian politics<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

As one analyst noted: \u201cReplacing Lutyens with Rajaji rather than placing Rajaji alongside him makes the gesture sharper. It turns a tribute into a statement\u201d\u00a0. Whether this will translate into votes remains unclear.<\/p>\n

BJP vs Congress on Colonial Symbols:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Party<\/th>\nPosition<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
BJP<\/strong><\/td>\nAggressively removing\/replacing colonial symbols; framing as \u201cslavery mindset\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Congress<\/strong><\/td>\nAmbivalent \u2014 some leaders praise individual moves (Tharoor on Rajaji), others criticise the broader approach<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla used Tharoor\u2018s praise of Rajaji to jab Congress: \u201cSad that some in Congress put Lutyens above Rajaji. Videshi above Swadeshi. Colonial above Bharatiya\u201d\u00a0.<\/p>\n

\n

ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST<\/strong><\/p>\n

For Removal (Government, RSS, supporters):<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Argument<\/th>\nResponse to Critics<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Colonial symbols represent oppression<\/td>\n\u201cWhy should Indian citizens be forced to daily encounter statues of those who enslaved us?\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Decolonisation is incomplete<\/td>\n\u201cPolitical independence (1947) was only the first step. Cultural decolonisation is equally important.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Public spaces should reflect Indian heroes<\/td>\n\u201cRajaji, Patel, Bose \u2014 these are the figures our children should see in Rashtrapati Bhavan.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Recontextualisation in museums is appropriate<\/td>\n\u201cWe are not destroying history. We are putting it in proper context, not celebration.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Against Removal (Opposition, conservationists, critics):<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Argument<\/th>\nResponse to Government<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
History cannot be selectively erased<\/td>\n\u201cRemoving statues does not change history \u2014 it merely hides it from public view.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Architecture is not politics<\/td>\n\u201cLutyens was an architect, not a Viceroy. His buildings are heritage, not oppression.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Selective targeting reveals bias<\/td>\n\u201cWhy only colonial symbols \u2014 why not Mughal symbols next?\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cost and priority<\/td>\n\u201c\u20b92.7 billion on Central Vista during a pandemic was misallocated when people were dying.\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

The \u2018Slippery Slope\u2019 Concern:<\/strong><\/p>\n

As one columnist noted: \u201cIf we destroy what the British made, what comes next? Red Fort, Jama Masjid, and other iconic structures built by Mughals?\u201d\u00a0. The government has not clarified where the line will be drawn \u2014 raising concerns that Hindu majoritarianism could eventually target India\u2018s rich Muslim architectural heritage.<\/p>\n

\n

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: INDIA VS OTHER NATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Country<\/th>\nApproach to Colonial Monuments<\/th>\nCurrent Status<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
India (BJP)<\/strong><\/td>\nRemoval from public spaces \u2192 museum storage\/display<\/td>\nAccelerating since 2022<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
South Africa<\/strong><\/td>\n\u201cRhodes Must Fall\u201d movement \u2014 statue removal<\/td>\nRhodes statue removed from UCT (2015)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
United Kingdom<\/strong><\/td>\nDebates ongoing; Colston statue toppled by protesters (2020), later displayed in museum<\/td>\nMixed \u2014 some statues removed, others retained with explanatory plaques<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
United States<\/strong><\/td>\nConfederate statues removed from public spaces (post-2020)<\/td>\nMany removed to museums or storage<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Australia<\/strong><\/td>\nCaptain Cook statues debated; some removed, others retained<\/td>\nMixed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

India\u2018s approach \u2014 legal, state-led removal and recontextualisation \u2014 is more orderly than protest-driven topplings in the UK and US but more aggressive than many Western European nations that have retained colonial statues with additional explanatory plaques.<\/p>\n

\n

THE UNANSWERED QUESTION: WHERE DOES IT END?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The government has not announced a comprehensive policy on colonial monuments. This creates uncertainty:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • \n

    Will statues of all British officials be removed \u2014 or only some?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Will Lutyens-designed buildings (which remain standing) eventually be demolished or renamed?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Will Mughal-era monuments (Red Fort, Jama Masjid) be targeted next?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    A 2019 Warning:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cIf we make South Block a museum of colonial rule, are we not perpetuating the memory of the colonial rule which we wish to erase?\u201d\u00a0.<\/p>\n

    The Government\u2018s Silence:<\/strong>\u00a0No systematic guideline has been issued. Decisions appear to be made case-by-case, often announced by the PM directly.<\/p>\n

    \n

    CONCLUSION \u2013 NEW INDIA OR ERASED INDIA?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The removal of colonial monuments under the BJP cannot be dismissed as mere \u201csaffron propaganda\u201d \u2014 decolonisation is a legitimate post-colonial project. However, the manner, timing, politicisation, and selectivity of the campaign raise serious concerns.<\/p>\n

    What Is Genuine:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
    \n
    <\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Element<\/th>\nAssessment<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Decolonisation as a goal<\/td>\nLegitimate \u2014 India should not be forced to celebrate its colonisers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Recontextualisation in museums<\/td>\nReasonable \u2014 preserving history while removing celebration<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Honouring Indian figures<\/td>\nPositive \u2014 Rajaji, Patel, and Bose deserve public recognition<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

    What Is Problematic:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
    \n
    <\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Element<\/th>\nAssessment<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Selective targeting<\/td>\nWhy only colonial symbols \u2014 not Mughal or even problematic Hindu figures?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Political timing<\/td>\nMoves consistently timed before elections (especially in Tamil Nadu)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Lack of public consultation<\/td>\nHeritage bodies (INTACH) were not consulted<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Vague criteria<\/td>\nNo clear policy \u2014 decisions made arbitrarily<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

    The Central Question:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Is India building a \u201cNew India\u201d that respects all layers of its history \u2014 Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, Jain, colonial, and post-colonial \u2014 or is it constructing a \u201cSaffron India\u201d that selectively erases the parts that do not fit the majoritarian narrative?<\/p>\n

    The removal of Lutyens\u2018 bust is a small act \u2014 a few hundred kilograms of bronze relocated to a museum. But as a symbol, it is enormous: it announces that the architecture of power will no longer be associated with British names. The building remains \u2014 but the name on the pedestal changes.<\/p>\n

    History cannot be demolished \u2014 but it can be curated. Who curates it, and for whom, defines the nation.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n

    SUMMARY TABLE: COLONIAL MONUMENTS REMOVAL UNDER BJP<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
    \n
    <\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Aspect<\/th>\nDetail<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Key Action (2026)<\/strong><\/td>\nLutyens bust removed from Rashtrapati Bhavan, replaced by Rajagopalachari<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Earlier Actions<\/strong><\/td>\nRajpath\u2192Kartavya Path (2022), Navy ensign changed (2022), railway uniform changed (2026)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Government Justification<\/strong><\/td>\n\u201cShedding colonial mindset,\u201d \u201cfreedom from slavery mentality\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Opposition Criticism<\/strong><\/td>\nSelective erasure of history, political opportunism (Tamil Nadu elections), hypocrisy (dealing with US\/Trump)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Heritage Concern<\/strong><\/td>\nINTACH not consulted; architects, planners opposed Central Vista project<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Fate of Removed Objects<\/strong><\/td>\nPlaced in museum (recontextualised, not destroyed)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Unanswered Question<\/strong><\/td>\nWhere does it end? Mughal monuments next?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
    \n

    Continue with Toipc 7<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    TOPIC 6 New India Construction or History Destruction? In February 2026, a bronze bust of British architect Edwin Lutyens was quietly removed from the central courtyard of Rashtrapati Bhavan \u2014 a building he himself designed nearly a century ago. In its place now stands C. Rajagopalachari, India\u2018s first and only Indian Governor-General. Prime Minister Modi […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3882,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"googlesitekit_rrm_CAowk73GDA:productID":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[50,46],"tags":[907,914,902,910,906,846,903,918,912,916,894,904,911,915,909,917,913,905,908,871],"class_list":["post-3881","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-historical-facts","category-truth-facts","tag-bjp-history-politics","tag-british-architecture-india","tag-british-legacy-monuments-india","tag-colonial-legacy-india","tag-colonial-monuments-removal","tag-cultural-nationalism-india","tag-decolonisation-debate-india","tag-heritage-politics-india","tag-historical-memory-debate","tag-history-destruction-debate","tag-indian-political-symbolism","tag-lutyens-controversy","tag-monument-politics-india","tag-nationalism-and-heritage","tag-new-india-symbolism","tag-post-colonial-india","tag-rajagopalachari-statue","tag-rashtrapati-bhavan-history","tag-rewriting-indian-history","tag-saffron-agenda-debate"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/untoldpages.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3881","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/untoldpages.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/untoldpages.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/untoldpages.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/untoldpages.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3881"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/untoldpages.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3881\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3930,"href":"https:\/\/untoldpages.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3881\/revisions\/3930"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/untoldpages.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3882"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/untoldpages.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3881"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/untoldpages.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3881"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/untoldpages.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3881"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}