The BJP-controlled Kanpur Municipal Company (KMC) has determined to abolish the proposal to determine a “Sibaya Park” in Kanpur after dealing with opposition not solely from BJP’s rivals but in addition from occasion corporators who claimed it could be in-built entrance of the present “Buddhist Park”.
Beneath is why the proposed Shibaya Park triggered controversy.
What’s Shibaya Park?
KMC got here up with the proposal after an analogous park in Prayagraj, which was constructed throughout Maha Kumbh Mela earlier this 12 months, was rave reviewed. After the investigation, it grew to become zero as a part of the Buddhist Park.
Based on Kanpur Mayor Sudhir Kumar, the administration had deliberate to introduce 12 Jyotirlingas at Shiva Lord in Shivalaya Park. There have been additionally plans to construct leisure areas, happiness parks, fountains and kids’s zones.
What’s the line?
Unfold over 30 acres within the coronary heart of Kanpur in Kalyannagar, the Buddha Park was established throughout the tenure of the Mayawati-led Bahujansamaj Social gathering authorities in Uttar Pradesh.
For a few years, a lot of the park, together with the waters on its web site, lay in a state of negligence.
The KMC’s proposal to arrange 15 Rua Shibaya Park on the Buddha Park grounds has drawn Flak from each the opposition and the BJP part. BSP Supremo Mayawati, Chief of Aazad Samaj Social gathering (Kanshi Ram), Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Aazad and a few BJP coparators have opposed Shivaraya Park and plans are being made to transform components of Buddha Park, which homes statues of BR Amvedkar for Br Amvedkar.
What’s the opposition’s angle?
Contemplating the unique proposal harm the sentiment of the deliberate caste (SC) neighborhood, Mayawati welcomed the choice of the BJP distribution to discard it. “We’re grateful to the Uttar Pradesh authorities for abandoning the extremely controversial proposal to determine Sibaya Park in Kanpur’s well-known Buddha Park. We hope that the federal government will act significantly in such a dispute in order that the ambiance of peace and order, mutual brotherhood and concord doesn’t deteriorate.”
On August 31, Azad wrote to Prime Minister Yogi Aditinus, urging him to cease the proposal. “The Buddha Park isn’t just a inexperienced realm, however a symbolic place related to the thought of compassion, equality and brotherhood of Ambedkar and Lord Buddha. Translation of it into a non secular place of a specific sect or faith hurts Dalit emotions. Public locations shouldn’t be transformed into spiritual locations.
New initiatives might be going down elsewhere,” he stated.
KMC’s proposal additionally confuses the BJP coparator part. In a letter to Kanpur Mayor and BJP chief Pramila Pandey, occasion co-opter Neeraj Kureel urged her to rethink the proposal. “Along with being a co-op, I’m a consultant of the SC neighborhood. I raised the difficulty on the Municipal Company Govt Council, which was not taken significantly,” his letter learn.
Coolie-El additionally requested that the beautification mission be featured within the Buddha Park, with the message of Lord Buddha in thoughts. “As a substitute of restoring the outdated glory of Buddha Park, the federal government determined to develop one other park inside it. The mayor assured that this is able to not occur. We’re happy that they’ve determined to shift Sibaya Park elsewhere.”
Why are Dalit components vital in politics?
SCS is the core voting basis for BSP. Within the wake of the decline of the BSP over the previous few years, different political events within the state, such because the Samajwadi Social gathering (SP), BJP and Congress, have made each effort to succeed in out to the Dalits.
Because the marketing campaign within the 2024 Lok Sabha ballot, SP has been attempting to plead SCs with Pichda, Dalit and Alpsankhyak (PDA) planks. Lately, Akhilesh Yadav led events have held a large weekly programme to mark Ambedkar’s delivery anniversary. With round 23% of the state’s inhabitants, Dalits are anticipated to play a key function in figuring out the end result of the 2027 legislative vote.
What’s KMC’s place?
Following the controversial eruption, KMC has denied plans to develop Shibaya Park, calling the queue “only a mess.”
The BJP mayor revealed that the identify or construction of the Buddha park was not modified in any manner, and that “confusion” occurred because the investigation was carried out on vacant land in Indiranagar close by.
