Jaipur: After much politics, Gandhi Vatika (Gandhi Darshan Museum) finally started in Jaipur. The BJP government opened this museum, built during the previous Congress government, on Gandhi Jayanti without any special event. None of the ministers were present in the opening of the dream project of former CM Ashok Gehlot.
More than a thousand college and school students and common people visited Gandhi Vatika and got a glimpse of the life and journey of the Father of the Nation. Gandhi Vatika depicts Gandhi's childhood, his life journey, South Africa trip, Satyagraha, Quit India and Chauri-Chora Movement etc.
The Gandhi Darshan Museum formly known as Gandhi Vatika was a dream project of former CM Ashok Gehlot and was completed during the previous Congress government and the trust to run the museum was also formed with some noted Gandhian scholars on the board, but it couldn't be open.
After the change of government in the state, the present BJP government dissolved the trust on the grounds that the trustees had been given extraordinary powers and decided to run the museum on its own, although it took so much time to decide the nodal department that, ex CM Ashok Gehlot announced a dharna demanding opening of Gandhi Vatika. However, Gehlot had withdrawn his announced dharna after the government's decision to open it under the Tourism Department from Gandhi Jayanti.
Although, the politics is still likely to be continue on this as the education minister Madan Dilawar who visited the museum three days ago accused the previous Congress government of corruption in building this museum and hinted to make changes here.
“Even in building this museum, former CM Ashok Gehlot, who calls himself the Gandhi of Rajasthan, done corruption. There is no mention of Lord Ram in Gandhi Vatika. The name is good, but the way Gandhi's name has been used, there is nothing in this museum like that," said Dilwar adding that experts will be consulted and changes will be made as per Gandhi's philosophy.
While Ashok Gehlot advised the state government to make proper arrangements to run the museum. He said that the museum displays the life and philosophy of Gandhi, but who is there to tell the public about all this?
“This magnificent museum has been built at a cost of Rs 85 crore. Mere opening it for the public is not enough. It was built under the supervision of Gandhian scholars. The government should talk to them," said Gehlot.