Bible Society planning to pull down heritage building in Kolkata

"We are planning to completely pull down the building. A lawyer has been appointed to see how this can be done. There will be a meeting of the BSI Kolkata unit on June 25 where his suggestions would be taken up for a decision on how to develop the property," BSI national president Dr Navamani Peter said from its headquarters in Bangalore.

Located on Jawharlal Nehru Road in downtown Chowringhee area, the 200-year-old Bible Society building is listed by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation as a Grade-I heritage building and identified as a Public Institution.

When pointed out that the building enjoys heritage status, Peter said, "The lawyer will give us his suggestions after looking into all aspects."

The Calcutta Auxiliary Bible Society was established on February 21, 1811. The Bible Society of India was inaugurated in 1944 and is headquartered in Bangalore since Independence.

Headed by a president, the BSI secretary in Bangalore acts as the organisation's CEO who works with an executive committee which is elected by the BSI general body.
The BSI has a centralised management policy and its 15 auxiliaries, spread across the country, are not authorised to take policy decisions and are only responsible for fund raising. Church sources said the BSI's plan to demolish the Bible Society building here came to light when the secretary of the BSI Kolkata Auxiliary, Sajal Biswas, informed a meeting of the Society on May 24 that he had been asked to vacate the building as it was going to be 'developed.'

Some of those who attended the meeting signed a letter of protest against the BSI move and handed it over to a senior church functionary, the sources said.

Although they claimed that BSI was selling off the property to a private promoter for development, Biswas, however, denied it.

"It is not true that the property is being sold off. It will be developed. This is all I can tell you," Biswas, who is now in Chennai, said without elaborating.

Church of North India's Bishop of Kolkata Rev Ashok Biswas, who is the president of the BSI Kolkata Auxilliary, was not available for comment as he is touring abroad.
Kolkata Municipal Corporation sources said it was approached by the BSI local authorities for permission to develop the building, but were told to submit all relevant documents before a decision can be taken.

While sale of transfer of ownership of the building  was permissible, pulling down the building was not permissible, the sources said.When contacted, the owner of the private company said to have been appointed to develop the property, said, "We are not into any such venture."

Christian bodies are up in arms against the BSI move, pointing out that the organisation had no right to sell or reconstruct a building which is a Grade-I heritage.

"Besides, they should realise that there is a strong sentiment attached to the building which is seen as a workplace to disseminate God's word to the world," said a Christian leader.

Pointing out that the BSI's jurisdiction extended upto Sri Lanka and Myanmar during the British period, general secretary of Bangiya Christiya Pariseba Herod Mullick said, "Its importance was only after the London Bible Society. If the authorities decided to sell it or redevelop it, it should immediately step back. Otherwise, there will be protests."
Mullick said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Mayor Sovan Chatterjee and chairman of the state Heritage Committee Barun De would be approached for their intervention in preventing the development.

Various international bodies would also be approached to pressure the BSI authorities to scrap the plan, he said.

Convener of the Kolkata Christian Forum Rev Sukhendu Biswas said meetings, rallies and vigils would be organised to build up public opinion against the BSI move to develop the property.