‘Aurangzeb Zindabad Mindset’: BJP Slams Opposition For Criticising Lutyens’ Bust Removal

Last Updated:February 24, 2026, 09:19 IST

Opposition leaders Priyanka Chaturvedi and Iltija Mufti criticised Edwin Lutyens' bust swap with Rajagopalachari's, questioning government’s attempts to erase colonial history.

A political row has erupted after the bust of British architect Edwin Lutyens at Rashtrapati Bhavan was replaced with that of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari. The move is being seen as a symbolic step to shed the country’s colonial past.

President Droupadi Murmu unveiled Rajagopalachari’s bust at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre during the Rajaji Utsav on Monday morning. The new bust has been placed at the Grand Open Staircase near Ashok Mandap, the spot previously occupied by Lutyens, the chief architect of New Delhi and the namesake of Lutyens’ Delhi.

Opposition react

Opposition leaders Priyanka Chaturvedi and Iltija Mufti criticised the move, questioning the government’s attempts to erase colonial history. They said India should preserve all parts of its history and argued that removing busts reflects misplaced anger and an attempt to rewrite architectural legacy.

Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi criticised the BJP government’s move saying, “The future generation of India would only know of Bimal Hasmukh Patel architectural legacy because am certain whatever is left of Lutyens design history will be broken down, redesigned or repurposed under the narrative of ridding ourselves of our colonial history. Many countries preserve the heritage and legacy of their nation’s lived history for generations to remember – the good, the bad and the ugly included to learn from but in new India we are hell bent on replacing it with shiny new glass domes or convention centres- with no soul or cultural context."

PDP leader Iltija Mufti questioned how removing busts helps India and said heritage cannot be erased. Her X post reads, “How does it help India to continue with this warped misplaced sense of anger towards its history? This constant obsession of wiping off the ‘colonial hangover’? Lutyens makes Delhi what it is. You cannot efface heritage or history by removing busts & plaques. Most of India’s architectural marvels are British & Mughal. Big deal!"

BJP slams Opposition

Meanwhile, reacting to Mufti’s post criticising the move, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said, “No wonder those who once glorified terrorist Burhan Wani are rattled today. The same “Aurangzeb Zindabad" mindset for vote bank politics cannot digest Bharat reclaiming its civilisational heritage and shedding the mentality of slavery."

Shashi Tharoor lauds move

Meanwhile, differing from his opposition colleagues, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor praised Rajagopalachari.

“I’m truly pleased to see Rajaji honoured by a statue at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He was its first Indian occupant as the only Indian Governor-General of India, before we became a Republic and he yielded his seat to the new President. I have long admired his convictions and was a strong supporter of his Swatantra Party in my student days.  His set of values and principles – liberal economics and support for free enterprise, combined with social justice; strong anchoring in Indian civilization and religious faith but without a shred of communal bigotry; and a staunch faith in the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, including keeping the government out of our kitchens, bedrooms and libraries – remain mine to this day. It is sad that there are so few left to follow him today," said Tharoor.

How did Britain react?

British figures including Matt Ridley and Michael Fabricant criticised the move, saying history cannot be erased by removing busts or plaques.

British journalist Matt Ridley made similar remarks, saying history cannot be effaced by removing plaques. In his disagreement, Ridley said, “How does it help India to continue with this warped misplaced sense of anger towards its history? This constant obsession of wiping off the ‘colonial hangover’? Lutyens makes Delhi what it is. You cannot efface heritage or history by removing busts & plaques. Most of India’s architectural marvels are British & Mughal. Big deal!"

Former British MP Michael Fabricant said that removing Lutyens’ name would not change the fact that he remains the building’s architect. “They can remove his name, but until they remove the building, he will always be its architect," read his post on X.

News politics ‘Aurangzeb Zindabad Mindset’: BJP Slams Opposition For Criticising Lutyens’ Bust Removal

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