Vivekananda memorial land allotment: K’taka HC issues notice to govt

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has issued an emergent notice to the state government on the allotment of 36,000 sq ft land to the Ramakrishna Ashram to build a Swami Vivekananda memorial in Mysuru city.

T.S. Lokesh, a resident of Mysuru, had filed a petition before the court questioning the allotment of land belonging to the historical Niranjana Mutt and the NTM Girls’ school.

The single bench headed by Justice Krishna S. Dixith issued emergent notices to the Principle Secretary of the primary and secondary education department and the president of Ramakrishna Ashram.

The counsel for the petitioner, Anilkumar, submitted that the state government had allotted the land to the ashram after coming under pressure. “We don’t have objections to build a Swami Vivekananda memorial, but for that purpose the historical Eshwar temple and Mutt can’t be destroyed,” he argued.

The counsel submitted that the court should direct the government to maintain status quo and issue a stay order immediately.

The state government had allotted the land to the ashram on January 9, 2013 as part of the grand plans to make the places where Swami Vivekananda stayed during his tour as memorials on his centenary celebrations.

Various organisations are protesting in Mysuru, opposing the granting of land of a girl’s school and a local religious centre in the heart of the city to the Ramkrishna Ashram.