You have visited the Qutub Minar and are dismayed to see the graffiti on its walls. Write a letter to the Archaeological Survey of India suggesting ways of preventing this defacement.
Answers
Explanation:
The violent destruction of heritage has been recognized as war crime. Efforts have been made by various archaeologists and other volunteers to protect heritage sites from acts of violence. In India, the Ancient Monuments and Archeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. deals with the issue. The Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984 also talks about vandalism. Under Section 4 of this act, the miscreant(s) shall be held liable for any intentional damage to public property. In India, in the name of protests, hooligans take maximum advantage and end up vandalizing a lot of public property. But the enforcement of these laws seems lacking.
Cultural heritage sites in Delhi are being vandalized by hooligans. The walls at the Capital’s Landmark “Lodhi Garden” are being abused at will, being treated as canvases by various visitors. One of the reasons for the same is the severe shortage of attendants who actively protect these monuments. The Indo-Islamic Architectural masterpiece, Qutub Minar, had to recently undergo heavy restoration work in order to repair the damages pertaining to neglect and vandalism. In the absence of adequate security personnel, various cultural spots have become a hotspot for drug peddlers. Even world heritage sites like Humayun’s Tomb and Red Fort have not been spared and have fallen prey to graffiti tagging, flower picking and other such activities.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has openly stated that, “It would be humanly impossible to stand guard at every monument; a better option would be to sensitize visitors against defacing or destroying heritage structures”.
Hyderabad has been facing similar issues of vandalism — Charminar, Golconda fort, Qutb Shahi tombs, Faluknama palace are some examples. The sharp carvings on the walls of Golconda fort and Charminar have made it difficult to preserve and retain the originality of material used. The inconsideration displayed by youngsters has resulted in the painful bleeding of cultural sites in Hyderabad, just like any other culturally rich place in India.
Virtual vandalism or cyber vandalism is another matter of concern as it attacks personal information in a way that is intrusive and humiliating. The hoodlums make noxious projects that demonstrate harmful to the hard plate information or login accreditations of the casualty. Wikipedia, being one of the popular online destinations, is inclined to more harm since anybody can alter the site– a recent case of vandalism on Wikipedia involved manipulation of Apple’s personal assistant, SIRI, into giving a racist result to a search about India. Many countries have recognized cyber vandalism as a major issue and have issued laws to regulate the wrong actions, with India being the latest addition.