Kerala High Court on Wednesday observed that preserving the paintings of renowned Kerala artist Raja Ravi Varma deserves the attention of the Union government at the “highest level”.
The observation was made by a division Bench comprising Chief Justice J. Chelameswar and Justice P.R. Ramachandra Menon on a plea by a great grand neice of Raja Ravi Varma, who sought a direction to acquire the four auctioned paintings of Ravi Varma by a Bangalore-based private auctioners and to preserve them in one of the best government-owned museums in India.
The court said the matter deserves attention of the government at the highest level and directed the Registry to communicate this order to the Union Minister for Education and Culture Affairs.
Rejecting the plea however, the Bench said Central government must formulate an opinion that a particular antiquity or art treasure should be preserved in a public place. In the absence of such views, the court cannot issue an order to acquire the same, it said, disposing off a plea in this regard by Archana Narayanan, who is also an advocate.
The court rejected the petitioner’s prayer saying it was for the government to do it and expressed dissatisfaction in the Central government not informing their definite stand on the issue.
