Expressing concern over the controversy surrounding the Balabrooie guesthouse here, the Save Balabrooie Committee, a forum of artistes and dignitaries from various walks of life, has opined that the government should frame a policy to protect heritage buildings.
The committee said here on Saturday that Balabrooie is an integral part of the cultural and political history of the State and hence it should be preserved.
To urge the government — which has proposed to convert the sprawling guest house into a clubhouse for legislators — to preserve the heritage building, the panel has planned a demonstration outside Balabrooie on Sunday. Artist S.G. Vasudev told presspersons that demolishing heritage buildings was nothing but cutting off the history of the place. “Bangalore has its own history and it will celebrate its 500th year in another 20 years. The government should think of converting the building into a museum to depict the history of the State,” he suggested. Filmmaker Prakash Belawadi said the government should have a policy to protect heritage buildings on the lines of the heritage Act of Maharashtra.
Theatre artiste Srinivas G. Kappanna said the government should not go ahead with the project ignoring the opinion of citizens.
Architect V. Naresh Narasimha, actor Suresh Anagalli, chairman of the Manipal Global Education Mohandas Pai, and veena artiste Suma Sudhindra were present.
