Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 16: Government today said in Legislative Council that a House Committee would probe February 2009 Mubarak Mandi blaze after ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) legislators created uproar and sought probe into the fire tragedy.
During the Question Hour in the Upper House, the members of BJP and PDP accused the then National Conference (NC) and Congress Government of conspiracy and pointed fingers towards the erstwhile coalition with regard to the blaze incident in the Heritage Mubarak Mandi complex, which formerly served as Secretariat of Dogra ruler, Maharaja Hari Singh.
The legislators said the enquiry should be conducted as the matter is sensitive. “The issue is sensitive. These (Dogra rulers) are the leaders who gave us identity,” said the BJP legislators, adding: “The enquiry should be conducted by the House Committee and truth should come to fore.”
“It should also be ascertained whether the items from Toshkhana were shifted before or after the fire incident,” said BJP legislator, Ashok Khajuria. The PDP lawmakers also stood up from their benches and supported the demand of their allies. Two members from PDP, Yasir Reshi and Surinder Chowdhary, had brief exchange of heated arguments with Opposition legislators.
Amid uproar, the Minister, Imran Ansari, said the House Committee would hold enquiry into the February 2009 blaze at Mubarak Mandi as no probe was conducted by the then Government. He also assured the agitating BJP and PDP members that their apprehensions with regard to the heritage monument would be addressed.
Earlier, wile replying to a question of Congress MLC, Rani Gargi Blowria, the Minister said 26 items of Royal Dogra Toshkhana were shifted from Mubarak Mandi to Civil Secretariat, Jammu in the year 2006 after devastating fire in Rani Charki Mahal. He was replying on behalf of Minister Incharge Culture.
The Minister said Mubarak Mandi Heritage Society was constituted on December 28, 2006 and after its constitution only one fire incident occurred on February 9, 2009. He said the park and historical Chabutra were demolished in June 2014 in order to reshape and remodel it. “Prioritizing of this work over the standing structures was the decision of the Members of the Executive Committee and Technical Advisory Committee of Mubarak Mandi Jammu Heritage Society,” he informed the House.
Ansari said that Mubarak Mandi Complex stands declared as State protected monument and steps have been taken for its restoration and preservation. He said that no tinted film glasses have been used in the restoration work of erstwhile Army headquarter/ foreign office but coloured glasses have been fixed on the doors and window panes by the Archeological Survey of India at Mubarak Mandi after due research.
The Minister informed that during restoration work the old clock could not be repaired but ASI covered the hallow Dial-positions of clock, as the old/original dials were missing. “The old machine of this clock is still preserved at its original position,” he said.
Ansari said old High Court building was Army headquarter of Maharaja Hari Singh and now has been restored by the Mubarak Mandi Jammu Heritage Society. Giving details of ancient lion faced water taps in Jammu city, the Minister informed that some taps are functional in some parts of the city and one lion faced water tap is preserved in Dogra Art Museum, Jammu.
The Minister said there are four State protected Monuments in Jammu city, which include Bahu Fort, Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex, Shahi Masjid Mastgarh and Peer Mitha Tomb, adding that the government is taking measures for their preservation while steps for declaring the Gumat Gate as State protected monument has been initiated.
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