National
V.P. Singh seeks PM's intervention in Periyar Centre issue
By Our Legal Correspondent
NEW DELHI, DEC. 11. The former Prime Minister, Mr. V.P. Singh, while expressing ``pain and shock'' over the demolition of the Periyar Centre in the capital, has sought the intervention of the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee to rectify the ``injustice'' done.
In a letter written to Mr. Vajpayee, Mr. Singh said the centre was built at a cost of Rs. 4 crores in Bomnoli village on the outskirts of Delhi to conduct social welfare programmes for the poor.
After receiving a notice from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the centre replied contending that the byelaws of Delhi would not apply as the building was situated in the Lal Dora area.
Mr. Singh said that even assuming that the Delhi byelaws would apply to the area, the DDA had demolished the structure on December 3 without complying with the principle of natural justice, without giving an opportunity for appeal to the Appellate Tribunal.
``Striking the Periyar Centre has deeply hurt the feelings of not only the people of India but also the Periyarites and humanists in other parts of the world. I am very much pained to inform you that the marble bust statue of Periyar opened by late G.K. Moopanar was intentionally broken into pieces,'' Mr. Singh said.
If the DDA was keen on implementation of its laws it should first demolish its own club constructed in the Asiad village in violation of the plan.
Contempt notice to DDA
Meanwhile, Mr. Justice S.K. Mahajan of the Delhi High Court today issued notices of contempt to three DDA officials - Mr. Parimol Roi, vice-chairman, Mr. G.C. Sachdeva, Deputy- Director and Ms. Rita Kapoor, Field Inspector, calling upon them to show cause why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them for going ahead with the demolition of the Periyar Centre even after the court had ordered status quo on the evening of December 3. They were asked to appear in the court on February 6, 2002.
In its contempt petition, the centre alleged that notwithstanding the status quo order passed by the court at 6 pm, in the presence of the DDA counsel and even after the order was communicated the demolition was continued till 7.30 pm. In another petition, the Periyar Centre sought Rs. 9 crores compensation from the DDA for the losses suffered.
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
National
|
