Receiver to oversee disputed portion of Udaipur City Palace

 

 

THE district administration has appointed a receiver to oversee a controversial portion of Udaipur’s City Palace following tension over Vishvaraj Singh, the new ceremonial head of the erstwhile royal family, being denied entry. The receiver’s appointment came after supporters of Singh clashed with those of his paternal uncle Arvind Singh Mewar, who controls the City Palace, late on Monday. BJP MLA Singh was on Monday anointed titular head of the erstwhile Mewar royal family at a ceremony in Chittorgarh fort following the death of his father Mahendra Singh Mewar earlier this month. After his anointment, Singh was scheduled to go to City Palace to have darshan of the “dhuni (a religious place)” and then visit the Eklingnathji temple. However, Arvind Singh Mewar -- who controls City Palace and, by extension, the ‘dhuni’ and the temple -- prevented Singh from entering.

 

Through his lawyer, Arvind Singh Mewar had published two public notices in local newspapers on Monday and warned of legal action against trespassing. Police personnel were deployed in large numbers to handle the situation after the public notices were published. Following the ceremony, Singh and a large number of his supporters reached Udaipur but were denied entry into City Palace. While Singh waited for several hours at Jagdish Chowk, a few metres from the palace gates, his supporters tried to cross the police barricades before starting a protest. Collector Arvind Poswal and Superintendent of Police Yogesh Goyal later intervened and held talks with Singh and his cousin Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, the son of Arvind Singh Mewar, separately.

 

The talks, however, remained inconclusive. Meanwhile, three policemen were injured after stones were pelted at the palace’s main gate from both sides. With tensions escalating, the Additional District Magistrate appointed Ghanta Ghar SHO Yogendra Kumar Vyas as receiver for the disputed portion between Badi Pol to the ‘dhuni.’ The notice of the receiver’s appointment was also pasted on the palace’s main gate. Following the receiver’s appointment, Singh returned around 1:30 am and went to his residence without having darshan of the ‘dhuni.’ The receiver will now take possession of the disputed area and decide on the entry parameters. Ghanta Ghar SHO Vyas said the situation was under control and possession of the area would be taken on Tuesday, depending on the situation. Police have tightened security around City Palace and in front of all entry gates. Markets near the palace are also shut. Singh is the BJP MLA from Nathdwara while his wife Mahima Kumari is the BJP’s Rajsamand MP.