Cong raps Museum demolition for Vista

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh shared pictures of the National Museum building and said there was no guarantee that this national treasure would survive the supposed relocation.

“Yet another majestic building that combines finely the modern with the traditional is to vanish by the end of this year. The National Museum designed by G B Deolalikar and inaugurated in December 1960 is being demolished. Incidentally, he also designed the main block of the Supreme Court which hopefully will survive,” he said in a post on X.

“The nation loses not just a majestic structure but also loses a piece of its recent history which is the target of a systematic erasure campaign of the Prime Minister. It has over 2,00,000 priceless exhibits and there is no guarantee that this national treasure will survive the supposed relocation,” Ramesh said.

The Congress leader said the National Museum also has a wonderful history as its first director was Grace Morley, an American museologist who came to India for the first time in 1960 in that position.

“She remained Director till 1966 but later continued to stay in Delhi where she was cremated in 1985. She earned the respect of one and all and was referred to as Mataji Morley,” he said in his post.

The National Museum in Delhi, home to a collection of rich ancient artefacts, is likely to be vacated by the end of this year as part of the Central Vista redevelopment project, sources said on Thursday.

It is not clear whether the over 60-year-old building, one of the most iconic modern landmarks of the capital city, will be retained or razed after its objects and collections are shifted.

The collections will eventually be housed in the proposed Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum which would be located in the North Block and South Block of the Raisina Hill complex.