The state tourism department has decided to take legal opinion on cancelling the agreement between the government and a private foundation for the adoption of Venkatappa Art Gallery.
Tourism Minister Priyank Kharge told Deccan Herald on Wednesday that he has directed the department’s principal secretary and director to start consultations with the state’s legal team. He also said he would like to resolve the stalemate within two weeks.
Kharge, who recently visited the gallery, had assured artists, who are demanding the scrapping of the memorandum of understanding, that the agreement will be reviewed.
Though the department is at liberty to pull out of the agreement, Kharge said it would be best to understand the ramifications, if any, before cancelling it. On July 16, 2015, a tripartite agreement was entered into by the department of Archeology, Museums and Heritage, Tourism department and MAP, a division of Tasveer Foundation, for the adoption of VAG. The MoU was staunchly opposed by artists under the VAG Forum. Following this, the government had put the adoption process on hold.
Later, Tasveer Foundation had stated that it was withdrawing from the project. However, on Wednesday, Tasveer Foundation trustee Abhishek Poddar and its curator Nathaniel Gaskell met Kharge at his office in Vikasa Soudha, and appealed to him to further the adoption process. “The Foundation representatives met me on their own. They have explained the importance of the adoption process, and expressed their willingness to continue with the project. I have heard out both the parties -- but it’s difficult to arrive at a conclusion without taking a legal opinion,” said Kharge.
According to sources, the department is not too keen on pursuing the MoU, especially because it does not have any jurisdiction over the gallery. Sources also said that Kharge was more keen on protecting the interests of the artists.
Background
According to the MoU, the adoption is for five years, and can be renewed for another five years. All curatorial, exhibition and programming decisions have been vested with the foundation. Terming the MoU as flimsy, vague and lacking scrutiny, VAG Forum has been vociferously demanding its cancellation.
The agreement was made during the term of the previous tourism minister R V Deshpande. At that time, IAS officer G Sathyavathi was the Tourism director. When VAG Forum intensified its protests, the department had decided to stall the adoption process.
Published 20 July 2016, 20:57 IST