In a major achievement for Chandigarh, an auction of heritage furniture from Chandigarh has been stalled following an intervention by the UT heritage Panel Member, Ajay Jagga.
Finding an auction of UT heritage furniture in Luxembourg, UT heritage panel member Ajay Jagga had filed a representation with MEA and Sam Tanson, Minister of Culture Luxembourg and sought the return of six heritage articles. The estimated price of these articles was ranging between Rs 52.55 lakh and Rs 64.71 lakh.
The auction of six Chandigarh heritage articles was in violation of the MHA orders (February 22, 2011) as per letter, as the order of the MHA has banned the export of Chandigarh heritage furniture.
Ajay Jagga, while speaking to Tricity Scoop said, “I am feeling extremely complacent with the thrilling development of receiving a direct response from the Government of a country of Europe i.e. Luxembourg through its Ministry of Culture. Thereby, expressing concern about our heritage items & seeking certain details and fortunately, the desired info was submitted. It’s like a booster dose of energy. Today morning (day of auction), I found that all the six articles of Chandigarh were removed from the auction.”
Jagga had sent a communique to the auction house on September 13 expressing his concern over the furniture that was up for auction to which Chris Backes of the auction house had replied seeking more information on the same.
“We would also like to ask you to provide us with all the necessary documents that prove that the said objects have been illegally removed from India in violation of Indian law and that there is a ban on the export of these six objects,” he had stated, to which Jagga had responded with a detailed reply seeking a probe into the matter.
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