Chandigarh furniture neither antiquity, nor art treasure: ASI
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 5
Responding to a letter to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Ministry of Culture about auctioning of Chandigarh’s heritage furniture in France on December 12, the ASI stated: “The objects in question do not come under the definition of ‘Antiquity’ or ‘Art Treasure’ as described in the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972.”
On December 8, Ajay Jagga, member of the UT’s Heritage Items Protection Cell, sent a representation to the Indian authorities, requesting them to stop the auction of UT’s heritage furniture, which was to be held in France on December 12, 2021.
The ASI responded on December 25, stating that UT’s heritage furniture does not come under the definition of antiquity or art treasure as described in the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972. Hence, the Archaeological Survey of India may not be able to take any action.
An additional submission was filed by Jagga in Rajya Sabha today regarding the ASI’s response. He wrote: “The Archaeological Survey of India’s response proves that there has to be clear legal position in such scenario like some guidelines/procedures or the commerce ministry issues a notification prohibiting the sale/ disposal/removal /export of Chandigarh heritage objects, on the lines of the MHA letter of 2011.”
