After MiD DAY reported how precious artefacts of the Mahatma were in shambles, heads roll
After MiD DAY reported how precious artefacts of the Mahatma were in shambles, heads roll
It's a room in which Mahatma Gandhi is still alive. However, till a few months ago the Father of the Nation must
have been terribly uncomfortable.
ADVERTISEMENT
Though the wheels of justice moved a bit too slow, a board meeting was held on May 1 which condemned the pathetic condition of the Gandhi Smriti, of which the museum is a part, situated near the Rajghat - the epitaph of the father of the nation. It was decided that the Director of the National Gandhi Museum Dr Varsha Das must go.
It is for the first time in the history of the memorial to Gandhi that a director could not complete his/her tenure. Dr Das, who had been criticised for the utter neglect to the museum by visitors, Gandhian philosophers alike, had to go a year before the completion of her term.
The museum officials remained tight-lipped over the issue. They rejected the contention that Dr Das was removed due to the pathetic condition of the museum.
"This is a management issue and there are valid reasons behind the decision. There were some disagreements between the board and the director over some issues, which I cannot divulge at the moment. However, there were no allegations levelled against her for poor upkeep of the museum. Some people are trying to tarnish Dr Das' image," said Ram Chandra Rahi, treasurer of the museum.
Ironically, Rahi's wife who had visited the ashram in the month of February had also mentioned in the complaint
| The Other Side |
| I do not want to comment on this issue. Let us wait and watch.u00a0 |
According to some of the board members there were complaints from the visitors regarding poor upkeep of the ashram. "The ashram was in shambles. Water was seeping through the roof of the rooms where precious artefacts belonging to the Mahatma were kept. Media reports in this regard were also taken into consideration," said na ashram board member, requesting anonymity.
| In memoriam |
| After theu00a0 assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, 1948, started a process of collectingu00a0 and preservingu00a0 the personalu00a0 relics, manuscripts, books, journals and documents, photographic and audio-visual material, all that could go into a museum on the life, philosophy and work of Mahatma Gandhi. It started in Mumbai but the work was later shifted to Delhi. In its infancy, the museum came up in the government hutments adjoining Kota House. Later in mid-1957, it was shifted to the picturesque old mansion at 5,u00a0 Mansinghu00a0 Road. Finally it was brought to its present new home, most appropriately built opposite the samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, New Delhi, in 1959. It was formallyu00a0 inaugurated by Dr Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, on January 30, 1961. |
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
