KOLKATA – A division bench of the Calcutta High Court headed by Chief Justice T.S, on Thursday, directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to be a party in a public interest litigation accusing the West Bengal of being reluctant in protecting the property of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab of the then undivided Bengal.
The end of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah’s regime, with the main base being Murshidabad district in West Bengal, marked the beginning of the British East India Company’s rule over Bengal and thereafter almost the entire India.
The petitioner filing the public interest litigation has said that although the remaining historical property at Murshidabad, then owned by Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah and spread over around nine bighas or 5.624 acres of land, is slowly going under the water because of the erosion of River Bhagirathi there, the state government had taken no visible initiative to protect it.
As the matter came up for hearing on Thursday, the petitioner also highlighted the initiatives of preserving Vivekananda Rock at Kanyakumari and argued that the West Bengal government should also adopt similar initiatives to protect the remaining property of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah at Murshidabad. The petitioner also alleged that the West Bengal Heritage Commission has virtually become defunct and has not taken any initiative on this count.
During the hearing, the Chief Justice also expressed ire over the role of the state government in the matter. He observed that it is unfortunate that high-rise buildings are being constructed at heritage places and the historical places are being destroyed instead of being protected. The Chief Justice also observed that it is very easy to destroy anything and can be done within just 48 hours. “But the same cannot be restored,” the Chief Justice observed.
Thereafter, he directed the state government to submit a detailed report to his court by the next week, besides directing to be a party in the case. -IANS
