Theft of Chandigarh Master Plans and drawings

Handover the issue of theft of Chandigarh Master Plans and drawings to CBI : Activists

Chandigarh
June 6, 2010

The issue of theft of drawings and master plan of Chandigarh is becoming a major issue and various citizen groups and NGO’s are demanding registration of FIR and recovery of the articles. Since last few years it has been regularly reported that many articles, maps, drawings and other items of heritage importance are regularly being auctioned in Europe and especially in France.

Social activist Hemant Goswami has made a formal complaint to the Administrator, the Advisor and the Union Home Ministry demanding registration of an FIR, proper investigations and doing everything necessary for bringing back all the items of national heritage back to Chandigarh.

“The master plan, all the related drawings, the signed concept notes and many related documents have gone missing from the offices of Chandigarh Administration. They can’t vanish in thin air. Not only this, many carvings, sculpting, and original Le Corbusier furniture too has found its way to markets in Europe. This is a clear case of theft and criminal breach of trust, so a proper criminal case must be registered.” Hemant emphasised.

The complaint mentioned that “The issue of the heritage articles belonging to Chandigarh is of high national importance and indicates commission of offences under Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, Section 4/9; 8/9 of the Public Records Act 1993, Section 409, 378/379, 381, 411, 413 IPC among others.
The matter should be handed over to CBI for further investigation and immediate registration of an appropriate criminal case for recovery of the property and to ensure that the culprits are brought to book.”

The articles, drawings, furniture and other creative work while designing, developing and planning of Chandigarh are of high heritage and commercial value. The value is many folds higher if the work relates to people involved in its initial development like Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Matthew Nowicki, Albert Mayer, M. N. Sharma, etc.
The original furniture of Chandigarh and many other articles like the Manhole Covers, many sculpting, etc. created in 1950’s and 60’s are also in great demand in the antique markets all over the world. Such articles have extremely high value in the open market.

In February 2010, it was found by Sh. M.N. Sharma that some articles belonging to Chandigarh Administration were being auctioned in France. Thereafter he immediately informed the Adviser to Chandigarh Administrator and other senior functionaries of Chandigarh Administration. The facts were confirmed by the sources in Paris. Subsequently Chandigarh Administration wrote to the Selling House in Paris with a copy to the French Ambassador and others, intimating them of the situation and to know more about the auction and such sale of articles belonging to Chandigarh. Since the communication was not sent on proper Government letterhead, without any seal or the name of the officer sending it; it could not be taken as an official communication by the French. However during the telephonic conversation in the presence of senior functionaries of Chandigarh Administration, the name of some Chandigarh Administration employees also figured who was stated by the some French auctioneers as one of the person involved.

Instead of addressing the core issue the Administration and some other people are diverting from the main issue of the theft and sale of heritage items, drawings and maps. Some are wrongly projecting it a personal issue between M. N. Sharma, the first Indian Chief Architect of Chandigarh (who was selected by Le Corbusier himself) and one Ms. Kiran Joshi, whose name was taken by some auctioneers in France as the source for procurement of some drawings from Chandigarh.

“Who so ever has taken the articles to France or sold the Government property to private auctioneers should be exposed and brought to book. Calling names to a person as respectable as M. N. Sharma instead of registering an FIR is totally unwarranted. M. N. Sharma’s stature and professional reputation here and world over needs no certification and his crusade against the theft of articles of national heritage is highly appreciable. The missing object of great heritage value from Chandigarh needs an early and thorough investigation and their recovery.” Hemant added.

ENDS

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