Why Are Questions Being Raised On President Murmu’s Visit To Udaipur Palace?

By OB Bureau On Oct 7, 2024

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu’s recent visit to City Palace in Udaipur has come under a cloud with some members of the erstwhile Mewar royal family, including BJP MP and MLA, stating that she should have desisted from the visit as it is under litigation.

Notably, on October 3, President Murmu attended the 32nd convocation of Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur.

Murmu also made a personal visit to the City Palace, where she, along with Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagde and Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa were hosted by Lakshayaraj Singh Mewar and his family.

Mahima Kumari Mewar, BJP MP from Rajsamand, and her husband, Nathdwara (Rajsamand) MLA Vishvaraj Singh Mewar, also from BJP, objected to the President’s visit citing litigation and said that she didn’t meet Mahendra Singh Mewar, Vishvaraj’s father, whom they consider the head of the family, The Indian Express reported.

Mahendra Mewar is the elder brother of Arvind Mewar, who is Lakshayaraj Singh’s father. The family traces its ancestry to Maharana Pratap.

Vishvaraj said that when he and his wife got to know about the President’s visit to City Palace, Udaipur, they wrote a letter to the President. “In the letter, we had stated in brief that City Palace is our family property and there is a stay order on it by the courts. Additionally, there is a contempt application pending in the Supreme Court for some part of the property,” he said. Additionally, the property has been declared Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) by the Tax Department and the district court with an appeal pending before the High Court.

In the letter to the President, the couple had said that “the President by visiting the above properties is seriously compromising the dignity of the Office, that too without any communication with the Karta & head of the family,” referring to Mahendra Singh. The MP and MLA had requested Murmu to cancel the programme, the report stated. Mahima said that as soon as they got to know about Murmu’s visit, they apprised the President’s Secretary, her Officer on Special Duty, her in charge of (Udaipur) programme about the situation, and was informed that it is the President’s personal visit.

“I want to say that a personal visit is fine for a common man but she is the President and there is dignity to the President’s office” and so visiting City Palace “unki garima ke liye bhi ye sahi nahi hai (is not right for the dignity of her office),” Mahima claimed, according to The Indian Express.

She added that she had tried speaking to the District Collector but he was not reachable. “So I had to reach out to the Chief Minister’s Office and after that the collector called back. When I spoke to him, he simply said that he has informed (the authorities concerned) that the property is under litigation,” she said, alleging that the Collector did not send a “correct report” to the authorities.

Vishvaraj said that as public representative, he hears people in jansunwais (public hearings) to address their issues. “My question is meri jansunwai kab hogi (When will I be heard?)” he said.

While Lakshayraj Singh could not be reached for comments, Udaipur Collector Arvind Kumar Poswal was quoted as saying, “It was a private event and no comments were sought from the district administration and neither did the district administration send a report.”