Bhopal, Aug 1 (IANS): The installation of a life-size statue of former Union Minister late Madhavrao Scindia in the premises of historic building of Circuit House in Madhya Pradesh's Orchha town has triggered a fresh row after the Kshatriya Mahasabha along with the Karni Sena sought removal of the statue, citing the sentiment of people of the Bundelkhand region. 

"Why the statue of erstwhile Scindia family member of Gwalior should be installed at Orchha (Niwari district), when they have no contribution in the region?," they said.

The controversy first erupted in March when the statue was installed all of sudden, and now the row has escalated as the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is likely to visit Orchha on August 5 "to unveil" the statue.

Though the Chief Minister’s office has not issued any official statement regarding Chouhan’s visit to Orchha, the Niwari administration and the local police have reportedly started the preparation for the programme.

Police personnel have also been deployed at the site of the statue, which is yet to be unveiled. Also, some contruction works have been carried out recently in the area surrounding the statue.

A delegation of Kshatriya Mahasabha and Karni Sena handed over a memorandum to the district administration, saying if the said statue would not be removed, they will stage a massive protest on the day of Chouhan's visit to the district.

“There have been many great men in Tikamgarh's (Orccha was formerly in Tikamgarh district) history, and only they deserve a place at this historical building. People are demanding to install a life-size statue of Maharaja Chhatrasal, who founded this city. It is an attempt to destroy our great history of Tikamgarh. Madhavrao Scindia had no role in the development of the city. So the citizens here demand that statues of local heroes should be installed,” said Kshatriya Mahasabha cheif Pushpendra Singh.

People aware of this political episode told IANS that the contention is not about Madhavrao Scindia’s statue, but more about the centuries-old rivalry between the Kshatriyas of Bundelkhand and the Scindia dynasty of Gwalior. It is also about Rani Laxmibai (Queen of Jhansi) versus the Scindia dynasty, they said.

The esrtwhile kingdom of Orchha, which was founded in the 16th century by Bundela ruler Rudra Pratap Singh. Like the Scindia dynasty in Gwalior, Orchha, which was part of Vindhya Pradesh till 1956, also has a rich legacy. Both princely states of Gwalior and Orchha were merged into Madhya Pradesh in 1956.