The Maharashtra Government has dispatched a letter of intent to the Indian High Commission in UK, formally setting in motion the process to purchase the London house where Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar lived during his stint with the London School of Economics.
Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Vinod Tawde, who last week held primary discussions with Indian officials and representatives of Federation of Ambedkarites and Buddhist Organisations (FABO) during his London visit for a global education conference, today said he had despatched the letter of intent on Tuesday.
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“This house is of cultural and national importance and pride of millions of people of India. The Government of Maharashtra has principally decided to purchase the residence of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar in London. Therefore I am sending this as “letter of intent” to purchase 10, King Henry’s Road, London NW3,” the letter said.
“Äs already discussed, you mught have initiated the necessary legal procedure regarding the purchase of the same at negotiable price. We are confident that the UK authorities will cooperate fully to preserve this heritage premises and facilitate the purchase process. The necessary proceedings will be completed following due formalities through Governor of India,” the letter dispatched by Tawde said.
The three-storied, 2,050 feet bungalow, used by Dr. Ambedkar when he was completing higher studies at the London School of Economics in 1920-21, has been put on the block by the present landlord in Sept 2014 through advertisements in local newspapers. FABO had spotted the advertisement in UK papers, and alerted the Cong-NCP government, but the Prithviraj Chavan government had failed to make any progress in acquiring the heritage property
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The BJP-led government plans to purchase the property for an estimated price of Rs 40 crore and throw open a museum-cum-memorial at the bungalow from April 14, 2015 – the 124 birth anniversary of the architect of the Indian constitution.