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Time of India
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘BJP govt shielding those who uprooted ex-CM Jogi's statue'
Raipur: Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) state president Amit Jogi on Sunday strongly condemned the uprooting of the statue of former chief minister Ajit Jogi in Gaurela and accused the state govt of shielding the culprits. He warned of a major agitation if the statue is not reinstalled at Jyotipur Chowk, Gaurela, by June 25. Amit Jogi said that the act was carried out in collusion with local officials and said the culprits were later seen having tea with the Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi district in-charge minister at a guest house, instead of being arrested. Addressing a press conference at his Raipur residence on Sunday, the former MLA Amit Jogi alleged that the statue of Ajit Jogi, which stood on private land owned by the Jogi family, was uprooted using a hydra machine in the intervening night of May 25 and 26, and dumped in garbage. It has been over two weeks, yet the statue hasnt been reinstated, nor have the accused been apprehended. Everyone sees them, except the police, Amit Jogi said, calling the incident a deliberate insult to Ajit Jogi and his legacy. He also mentioned that the statue was legally installed on land privately owned by the Jogi family and not on govt property. The land, he said, was part of a property acquired before 1932 by the late Menzies and later transferred through a valid Power of Attorney to Atul Arthur in 2020. In 2021, a No-Objection Certificate was issued by the landowners for the installation of a garden and Ajit Jogis statue. Funds for the statues platform and garden, amounting to Rs 3.5 lakh, were sanctioned from former MLA Dr Renu Jogis MLA fund, with Gaurela Municipality appointed as the construction agency. Amit Jogi rejected claims that the statue was removed to install one of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, saying the municipal resolution pertained to Tikar Bypass, not Jyotipur Chowk. We support installing both statues, but they must be placed at their rightful locations, he said. He further accused BJP leaders of engaging in statue politics and urged them to act ethically. "Ajit Jogi belongs to every Chhattisgarhi. Uprooting his statue is not only illegal and insensitive, but it also reflects a narrow, destructive mindset", he said. Jogi announced that if the statue is not reinstated at its original spot by June 25, it would be brought to chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai's residence in Raipur, demanding its formal unveiling. "The CM once promised to visit Gaurela for the unveiling. Since he didn't, we'll bring Jogi Ji to his doorstep," he added. He concluded by forgiving those involved in the act and said copies of a book authored by Ajit Jogi would be sent to them, urging them to read Jogi Ji and understand him. Dr Renu Jogi also condemned the act and appealed for swift justice and reinstallation of the statue.
NDTV
26-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Ajit Jogi Statue Goes Missing Before Unveiling, Found In Civic Office Campus
The statue was later brought back to the place where it was to be installed. Gaurela (Chhattisgarh): A life-size statue of former Chhattisgarh chief minister late Ajit Jogi went missing on Monday from a square in Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi district where it had been kept for unveiling on May 29, officials said. While the incident prompted Jogi's son Amit Jogi to stage a protest at the spot, the statue was later found dumped in the premises of the Gaurela municipality office. The local police have registered a theft case against unidentified persons, said officials. The statue of Jogi was installed on a platform on the roadside at Jyotipur square in Gaurela town a few days back. It was to be unveiled on May 29, the death anniversary of the state's first Chief Minister. On May 22, the Gaurela Municipal Council had served a notice to the construction firm tasked with building the platform to remove the statue at once. CCTV footage from the area showed that the statue was removed using an earthmover around 2.30 am, said Naveen Borkar, station house officer of Gaurela police station. A case has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections concerning theft and dishonestly taking movable property out of someone's possession without their consent, he said. During a search, the statue was found at the Gaurela municipality office campus. Police have also identified the earthmover, a JCB machine, used to remove the statue, and a team has been sent to seize it, the official said. When asked whether the municipality removed the statue, Sub Divisional Magistrate of Gaurela, Richa Chandrakar, said the matter is being investigated and further action will be taken accordingly. The statue was later brought back to the place where it was to be installed. In its notice to the construction firm, Shri Ganesh Construction, the municipality had said that the statue had been installed on the platform without permission, which is 'against its work order issued for a garden and platform" and in violation of the PWD Work Manual. Through the notice, the chief municipality officer had directed the firm to immediately remove the installed statue and submit a detailed report regarding the work within 24 hours. The notice also warned of legal action in case of non-compliance. After learning about the missing statue, Jogi's son Amit Jogi and his supporters protested at the spot on Monday morning. 'People of the district wanted Jogi ji's statue installed in Jyotipur, his birthplace. The statue was removed and desecrated at 2 am in the darkness. 'It is not just an attack on the statue. Jogi ji may not be physically present amongst us, but he is alive in the heart of every person here,' Amit Jogi told reporters. He demanded stern action against those involved in the episode, stressing that the statue should be reinstalled at the same place within 24 hours. When asked about the notice served by the municipality, he said, 'I don't have any information about the notice. But I can vouch that the land on which the statue is to be installed does not belong to the municipality. It is private land, and the owner does not have any objection to it.' He said people's sentiments are attached to the statue. 'Chhattisgarh got recognition in the entire country because of Ajit Jogi. If the ruling BJP doesn't want his statue to be installed at his native place, then it shows their narrow-mindedness,' he said The statue has been purified with the holy water of Ganga, he said. 'Jogi ji was not the leader of only a party. I want both Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Leader of Opposition Charan Das Mahant to unveil the statue of Jogi ji,' he added. After Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000, Ajit Jogi became the CM of the state in the Congress government from 2000 to 2003. Ajit Jogi had founded JCC(J), also known as Jogi Congress, in June 2016 after he parted ways with the Congress. He died in May 2020.
The Hindu
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Desecration of Ajit Jogi's statue days before inauguration sparks row
A life-size statue of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister, the late Ajit Jogi, was on Monday (May 26, 2025) found desecrated and discarded on the premises of the Gaurela municipality office in Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi district. The statue, which was set for a formal inauguration soon, was removed from its place in Jyotipur square in Gaurela town, close to the late leader's birthplace. The incident sparked a protest from Jogi's son and former MLA Amit Jogi and his supporters. They demanded that the statue be reinstalled at the very spot and strict action be taken against those behind the vandalism. According to a police officer, the statue was removed using an earthmover around 2.30 a.m. by unidentified persons. A case has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections concerning theft and dishonestly taking movable property out of someone's possession without their consent, he added. Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Amit Jogi said that the statue was to be unveiled on May 29, the fifth death anniversary of the deceased leader. 'My father was a leader for the whole of Chhattisgarh and Jyotipur was his birthplace. Removing his statue has clearly hurt the sentiments of the people,' he said. In a Facebook post, Mr. Jogi also questioned the state of law and order in Chhattisgarh, putting the incident into perspective. 'The statue is uprooted from the square and thrown in the garbage and the government-administration does not even get a clue. It is not Sushasan Tihaar [good governance festival, an outreach programme of the BJP government] but Sushasan Bimaar [unwell good governance] going on in the State,' he wrote. Earlier, he, along with his supporters, staged a protest at the spot where the statue had been installed and threatened to go on a hunger strike if it was not reinstalled. Around 6 p.m., Mr. Amit Jogi said that the statue was brought back to its original place and was in the process of being reinstalled.
