The All-India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS), which once enjoyed the patronage of the President of India and eminent personalities of the art world, is now caught in a legal wrangle.
The land and Development Offices (l&DO) under the Union Urban Development Ministry has slapped a notice on the Society asking it to vacate its office at 1, Rafi Marg. The l&DO has accused the Society of gross mismanagement, malpractices and carrying out unauthorised construction at its premises in violation of the agreement.
In a notice issued on June 13, 2014 , the l&DO has pointed out various irregularities in the functioning of the AIFCS. “The society has grossly misused their building by way of subletting to various organisations without prior permission of the lessor (l&DO) and unauthorised constructions. The society has also not realised any share of rent to the lessor for sub-letting to their tenant organization,” the notice said.
As per the agreement of 1955, the land was provided to the Society at a concessional rate of `5,000 per acre with a purpose of construction of art gallery and holding exhibitions periodically on non-commercial basis.
“But the purpose has not been met as has been found by the l&DO during its various inspections and several reminders to the Society,” says the notice.
“In view of the numerous opportunities granted to the Society, the breaches of unauthorised constructions and misuse by way of sub-letting in the premises constitute violations of Clauses III, IX and XII of the agreement of lease respectively…. the lessor has decided to re-enter upon the said premises..
“Gopal Rastogi, building officer of this office, has been directed to take over possession of the premises from you on 1 July 2014,” said the notice signed by Sumit Gakhar, Deputy l&DO, asking the management to hand over the premises to the official.
The Society has now challenged the order in the High Court seeking quashing of the eviction notice.Staying the eviction, the court has kept the next date of hearing in the matter on September 4th.
Ram Sutar, a sculpturist and present president of the Society, admitted that there have been lapses in the management but said, “We are ready to rectify them.”
However, it’s not only violation of the lease agreement that the Society is being accused of. Some members of the Society have taken exception to the way the current management has ‘unconstitutionally’ amended the Memorandum of Association of the AIFACS in 1975. The original memorandum was signed in 1938.
Artist VS Rahi, life member and ex-treasurer of the Society, said, “Vested interests are ruining the society. I’m so dismayed at the Society’s functioning, that I have stopped attending its meetings.”
He also questioned the whereabouts of valuable paintings and sculptures by renowned artists such as Sharda Ukil, Sailoz Mukherjee, KK Haber, MF Hussain, K S Kulkarni, Bishwanath Mukherjee, Barda Ukil (founder-member who had decorated India House at london) Ashis Kumar Halder, B C Sanyal and Sudhir Ranjan Khastigir.
When contacted, Paramjeet Singh, chairman of the Society, flatly denied the allegations. He said that the Society had intimated the Registrar of Societies about the changes in the amendment undertaken in 1975.
H N Sharma, member of the AIFCAS, refused to buy Singh’s claim. “The court is being misled. Without the consent of the Registrar of Societies and the l&DO no changes can be made in the Memorandum of Agreement between the two parties,” Sharma said.
The Society was founded by the then prominent personalities such as K N Haksar, Prime Minister, Bikaner (Rajputana), Sardar Bahadur Mohan Singh, rais and landlord, member of India Council, london, Nawab Sir Mohammad Mehr Shah, rais and landlord MlA. Central, Sardar Bahadur Sobha Singh, rais, landlord and contractor, Major Sardar KM Pannikar, foreign minister, Patiala State, artists and brothers Sarada Ukil, Ranada Ukil and Barada Ukil, among others.
