Hanuman Beniwal urges Managadh Dham to be declared national monument

Lok Sabha member Hanuman Beniwal, leader of the National Democratic Party and MP for Nagaur, raised a demand on 3 August for Rajasthan’s Managadh Dham to be recognised as a national monument. He argued that the site symbolizes the tribal sacrifice and contribution to India’s freedom struggle, referencing the 1913 Managadh massacre in which thousands of Bhil tribals were killed by British forces. Beniwal said the monument is also significant for tribal communities in neighbouring Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh and called for a special protection and development plan.

Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat responded that under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958 the site does not meet the required criteria for national‑level status, and that no proposal to declare it a national monument is currently under consideration. Beniwal expressed disappointment and pledged to continue raising the issue in Parliament and beyond.