The civic administration was asked by the group of political leaders in the BMC, to change the wording on the official note signed by Johny Joseph on April 27.
Criticised by politicians and conservationists for allowing handover of the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum to Tasneem Mehta, the Managing Trustee of the Museum Trust and the Convener of Mumbai Chapter of INTACH, the civic administration, on Wednesday, was asked by the group of political leaders in the BMC, to change the wording on the official note signed by former municipal commissioner Johny Joseph on April 27.
At a meeting organized by the leaders of all political parties, it was insisted that the Museum building and its objects must be handed over to the trust and not to an individual person. An office not, signed by former municipal commissioner Johny Joseph on April 27, suggested that the articles, books, registers and museum building be handed over to Mehta. The handover process began on May 15.
However, following a leak of the note in the press, the administration came in for sharp criticism with political leaders including Mumbai Mayor’s Dr Shubha Raul, also the trust’s chairman and conservationist like Indian Heritage Society chairperson Anita Garware calling for a revoke of the note.
“The note left a lot to interpretation,” said Standing Committee Chairman and Shiv Sena leader Ravindra Waikar, adding that, “We have asked the administration to change it.”
The leaders, however, sang the tune of the administration and the trust on the issue of repatriation of the existing BMC staff. The trust, which recruited new staff offering BMC staff the option of listing out or joining the trust on deputation.
“There can be no duality of role at the museum. The museum trust has recruited its own staff, BMC staffers were offered to go on deputation to the trust with higher salaries, they refused,” said additional municipal commissioner Manu Srivastava. The staff, however, maintained they were unwilling to go on the trust’s terms.
Raul said while the trust will be allowed to manage the museum’s day to day functions, she demanded the municipal logo be displayed prominently outside the museum.
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