Panjabrao Deshmukh statue lies in filth

Nagpur: “We have to build a new nation and for that our people must have knowledge. It is up to us to make every facility available to those who want to study. If there are any difficulties they must be ruthlessly demolished.” These words of country’s first union agriculture minister Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh are inscribed in stone at Dr Panjabarao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth’s premises at University Square off Amravati Road.
In contrast to the noble sentiments, if one visits the place where the man’s statue has been erected, one would find a picture of neglect. TOI on Monday visited the place and found thorny bushes have taken over the once beautiful landscaping. Worse, reptiles have made this their home along with anti-social elements especially drunkards. Many liquor bottles could be spotted at every nook and corner.
In 2004, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) developed the corner of the square owned by Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth by spending over Rs 1 crore. It was developed on the initiative of then corporator Kishore Jichkar. NMC, though, failed to maintain the premises. Now an NGO —Agrovet-Agroengg Mitra Parivar— formed by alumni of the college of agriculture wants to maintain it.
“It was more of disrespect than honouring a leader and freedom fighter like Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh,” said the NGO’s president Pranay Parate. He wondered how NMC would maintain the statue of Swami Vivekananda being erected at the Ambazari Lake overflow point. Two other members of the NGO Dilip Mohitkar and Bhushan Khadse submitted a memorandum to NMC and said if the NMC failed to maintain the place they would resort to hunger strike from December 26 and also won’t allow anyone to garland the statue on Panjabrao’s birth anniversary on December 27.
Jichkar pointed out that the area was beautified to pay tributes to Panjabrao, who was also the country’s first agriculture minister and had donated huge piece of land for the university. “With tax-payers money, NMC installed a statue and landscaped the area with granites from Rajasthan,” Jichkar said. He said the area is supposed to be maintained by NMC’s garden department but is left neglected. He claimed when he was a corporator he used to ensure provision for its maintenance every year.
Principal of Dhanwate National College Baban Taywade, who is associated with the Shivaji Education Society formed by Dr Deshmukh, also blamed the NMC. Despite repeated attempts, NMC’s garden superintendent N B Shrikhande was not available for comment.