Murmu’s Visit To Udaipur Palace Irks Mewar Royals Including BJP MP, MLA: 'Not Right For Dignity Of Her Office'

Members of the Mewar royal family, including BJP MP Mahima Kumari Mewar and MLA Vishvaraj Singh Mewar, objected to President Droupadi Murmu's visit to the City Palace in Udaipur due to ongoing property litigation.

A few members of the Mewar royal family, including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Mahima Kumari Mewar and MLA Vishvaraj Singh Mewar, have raised objections to President Droupadi Murmu’s recent visit to the City Palace in Udaipur, citing ongoing litigation concerning the property. On October 3, President Murmu attended the 32nd convocation of Mohanlal Sukhadia University in Udaipur.

Following the event, she made a personal visit to the City Palace, where she, along with Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagde and Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa, was hosted by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar and his family.

Mahima Kumari, the Rajsamand MP, and her husband Vishvaraj Singh, MLA from Nathdwara (Rajsamand), expressed their concerns over the visit, emphasising that President Murmu did not meet Mahendra Singh Mewar, Vishvaraj’s father, whom they regard as the head of the family, Indian Express reported. Mahendra Mewar is the elder brother of Arvind Mewar, Lakshyaraj Singh’s father, and the family traces its lineage back to Maharana Pratap.

Vishvaraj Singh stated that when he and Mahima learnt of the President's planned visit to the City Palace, they wrote a letter to President Murmu. "In the letter, we had stated in brief that City Palace is our family property and there is a stay order on it by the courts. Additionally, there is a contempt application pending in the Supreme Court for some part of the property," he said, as quoted by IE report. He added that the property has been declared a Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) by the Tax Department and the district court, with an appeal pending before the High Court.

The letter also pointed out that by visiting the palace, the President was "seriously compromising the dignity of the Office, that too without any communication with the Karta & head of the family," referring to Mahendra Singh Mewar. The couple had urged the President to cancel the visit in light of these circumstances.

Visiting Udaipur City Palace Not Right For Dignity Of President's Office: Mahima Kumari Mewar

Mahima Kumari Mewar explained that as soon as they were informed of the visit, they notified the President’s Secretary, Officer on Special Duty, and those in charge of the Udaipur programme. They were told that the visit was personal. "I want to say that a personal visit is fine for a common man, but she is the President, and there is dignity to the President’s office. So visiting City Palace is not right for the dignity of her office," she claimed, as quoted by the report.

Mahima also revealed that she attempted to contact the District Collector, but he was unavailable. "I had to reach out to the Chief Minister’s Office, and after that, the Collector called back. When I spoke to him, he simply said that he has informed the authorities concerned that the property is under litigation," she said, alleging that the Collector did not provide an accurate report to the authorities.

According to IE, Vishvaraj Singh further expressed his frustration, saying, "As a public representative, I hear people in jansunwais (public hearings) to address their issues. My question is, when will I be heard?"

Commenting on the issue, Udaipur Collector Arvind Kumar Poswal remarked, “It was a private event and no comments were sought from the district administration and neither did the district administration send a report.”