Post News Network
Puri: Contrary to all expectations, the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose museum here is unlikely to be thrown open to the public on the iconic leader’s birth anniversary January 23 due to ongoing litigation in Orissa High Court.
The paternal house of Netaji on Gopal Ballabh Road here was transformed into a museum. Sources said construction of the museum was completed in November last, and rare photographs of Netaji, furniture and other crucial documents were placed in the building soon afterwards. A trust was formed for smooth management of the museum. A process was also set in motion to create a `1-crore corpus for the museum. However, the museum seems unlikely to keep its date with Netaji’s birth anniversary this year.
The state government had directed the culture department in 2013 to preserve the abandoned Janakinath Bhawan on Gopal Ballabh Road and transform it into a museum. The foundation stone for the museum was laid by then culture minister Maheswar Mohanty December 30, 2013 after `3.96 crore was sanctioned for the project.
Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), which was assigned to preserve and renovate Janakinath Bhawan and turn it into a museum, began the work in April 2014.
A bronze statue of Netaji has been installed in the museum apart from a water fountain, galleries, CCTV surveillance system and an open air auditorium on its premises. The galleries have been made air conditioned.
District culture officer Nalinikanta Sahu said the museum trust was formed December 19 last after the construction of the museum was completed in November. Similarly, a governing body chaired by culture minister and an executive body headed by the district collector have been formed for smooth functioning of the museum, he added.
“We have set a target to inaugurate the museum before Netaji birth anniversary. However, this will be possible after the disposal of a case in this regard. All the relevant documents have been submitted in the court,” said Sahu.
The 433-decimal land at plot No. 29 and khata No. 23 under Balukhand Khasmahal mouja was leased out to Janakinath Bose for a period of 30 years by then British administration in 1916. The property was named after Netaji and his kin after Janakinath Bose’s demise.
However, some of Netaji’s relatives had appealed to the district collector in 1997 to strike out the leader’s name from the lease deed as he was believed to have died by then. The administration had rejected the application and instead extended the lease period till 2006 as no concrete evidence was found to prove his death.
Netaji’s relatives then approached the revenue divisional commission (Central), who also set aside their plea. The district administration finally took over the property March 3, 2013 following the continuing dispute.
