New Mewar ‘King’ questions administration over violence outside Udaipur City Palace

Jaipur (The Uttam Hindu):  A day after the royal dispute between Mewar scions spilled onto streets and sparked violence outside the Udaipur City Palace, the newly-anointed Mewar King and Nathdwara MLA Vishwaraj Singh on Tuesday hit out at the city administration, alleging inaction over stone-pelting and violence that left six people injured the previous night.

Jaipur, Nov 26 (IANS) A day after the royal dispute between Mewar scions spilled onto streets and sparked violence outside the Udaipur City Palace, the newly-anointed Mewar King and Nathdwara MLA Vishwaraj Singh on Tuesday hit out at the city administration, alleging inaction over the stone-pelting and violence that left six people injured the previous night.

Speaking to IANS, Vishvaraj Singh said, "The local administration should definitely be questioned on incidents like stone-pelting which were seen on Monday night."

“People were injured, however, police were seen watching the entire scene like mute spectators. Surprisingly, no action has been taken till now,” he added.

Vishvaraj Singh came to Udaipur around midnight for the dhooni darshan at a temple in the palace after his coronation in Chittorgarh on Monday afternoon. However, his uncle Arvind Singh Mewar got the gates of City Palace closed and got barricades placed on the road to prevent the new ‘King’ from forcibly enter the former royal property that is central to the controversy.

Vishvaraj Singh had to return around 1.30 am on Tuesday, asking his followers also to leave after alleged stone-pelting left around six people injured.

Asked if he would again attempt to carry out the dhooni darshan ritual in the City Palace, Vishvaraj told IANS, "Let's not call it a ritual, it's a tradition. I wanted to follow it, however, the administration was so helpless that they could not get the gates opened so it was not possible."

On being stopped from entering the Udaipur City Palace, Vishvaraj Singh said, “Look at it from any social or legal point of view, this is wrong. This is family property. It is a custom that we have to go and pay obeisance. I pray to Eklingnath to bless everyone.”

He further said that now there was a question mark over what they (administration) would do.

Earlier, hundreds of Vishvaraj Singh’s followers had gathered outside the City Palace when he reached late on Monday night but a trust, controlled by Arvind Singh Mewar, that manages the former royal property, did not open the gates for allowing him in for dhooni darshan.

Violence erupted near the gate as around 1.30 am with supporters of the new king and the other side confronting each other, police said.

Vishvaraj Singh’s coronation follows the passing away of former MP Mahendra Singh Mewar on November 10.

The coronation took place in the backdrop of a long-standing property controversy involving the City Palace in Udaipur.

The palace, currently controlled by Mahendra Singh Mewar's younger brother Arvind Singh Mewar, is central to the controversy.

Vishvaraj Singh’s plans to visit the palace and following the tradition of dhooni darshan at the Eklingji temple were opposed by the trust managing the City Palace. Legal notices were also issued, warning against unauthorised entry.