The Gandhi Memorial Museum has shut its doors on the supporters of Gandhian activist Anna Hazare, who have been fasting for over a week now for a strong Lokpal Bill. The South Indian Consumer and Human Rights Protection Council had planned a candle light meeting to express their solidarity with Hazare on the museum premises on Tuesday after seeking an oral permission from the museum authorities a day before.
However, it was denied permission to use the premises and the forum held its meeting in a private hotel as scheduled. Says council president K.Manavalan, “We fixed the meeting and pasted posters only after seeking an assurance orally from the museum authorities that they would rent out a kudil. But they refused permission the next day taking objection to the posters. We wanted to conduct the meeting there as Hazare is a Gandhian.”
Council’s organising secretary Shakul Hameed who tried hard to get a go-ahead signal from the authorities said, “Permission was denied on the charge that the meeting to be held to support Hazare and his cause was against the government.” However, Lead India Trust managed to conduct a candle light gathering in support of Anna on the premises a few days ago. Reacting to the charges, museum secretary R.Rangasamy said, “Whatever may be the noble cause and whether it is for Hazare or somebody else, we cannot allow the museum to be used for agitations. Museum is governed by byelaws. It is funded by the government and we are answerable to it.”
Ask him about the candle light meeting organised the other day, he said permission was accorded only after the organisers assured they would want to hold bhajan and pay homage to Gandhi.
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