Mysuru: Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar has alleged that the State Government is attempting to take over Mysore Palace properties by misusing the powers of the Legislature and the Executive. He said the dispute is before the court and that the judiciary will take the final decision on ownership.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP office in Chamarajapuram on November 9, Yaduveer said the Palace would not seek political mileage from the Dasara celebrations. He maintained that the properties should remain with their rightful owners, irrespective of political statements or criticism.
Court to decide Palace property dispute
Commenting on the controversy surrounding Mysore Palace properties, Yaduveer said the matter was pending before the court and that the judiciary would decide who legally owns the properties.
He alleged that the Legislature and the Executive had been misused in attempts to take over Palace properties. He also said the royal family was being forced to fight to protect what it considers its own property.
Dismissing personal comments and criticism directed at the Palace, the MP said politicians should concentrate on development and issues affecting the public rather than engaging in personal attacks.
He reiterated that the Palace properties would remain with their rightful owners, regardless of what politicians or others said about the matter.
Pramoda Devi to decide on Dasara-related matters
Yaduveer said his mother, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, would take decisions concerning Dasara celebrations, the Ambari and the Golden Throne.
He said she had already issued statements explaining the Palace’s position on these matters and had more detailed information about the issues. If further clarification was required, she would respond.
He also maintained that the Palace had never attempted to gain political advantage through the Dasara celebrations.
Calls for improvements in Dasara arrangements
The MP also pointed out shortcomings during the recent Dasara celebrations and called on the Government to address them before next year’s festivities.
He referred to complaints concerning the Aahara Mela and illumination arrangements, among other aspects of the celebrations. He said the shortcomings should be identified and corrected to ensure better arrangements in the coming year.
Yaduveer said the Government should consult the concerned authorities and take necessary measures to prevent similar issues during the next Dasara.
He added that the successful conduct of Dasara would benefit both the Palace and the Government, and that improvements were necessary to maintain the standard of the annual celebrations.
Planetarium to be inaugurated on November 13
During the press conference, Yaduveer also spoke about the upcoming inauguration of the Cosmology Education and Research Training Centre (COSMOS), a planetarium being developed at the Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Centre for Higher Learning of the University of Mysore, near the foothills of Chamundi Hill.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the facility on the afternoon of November 13. According to Yaduveer, the project has been developed at a cost of ₹115 crore.
The planetarium will feature a tilted LED dome sky theatre with 160 seats, exhibition halls, a museum and training laboratories for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in English and Kannada.
It will also provide live telecasts of the night sky from locations such as Ladakh and Kodaikanal. The project is being developed in association with the Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Astrophysics. Yaduveer described it as a dream project of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Mini-forest in K.C. Layout also set for inauguration
Yaduveer said the Prime Minister would also inaugurate a mini-forest at K.C. Layout, also known as Kempu Cheluvajammanni Nagar, in Mysuru.
Spread across four acres, the urban green space has been developed using the Miyawaki method and is located next to Veerayodha A.P. Prashanth Park.
The project has been undertaken by the Mysuru City Corporation under its ‘Namma Mysuru-Namma Koduge’ initiative, in collaboration with the SBI Foundation and the Catch Foundation. The mini-forest also incorporates the Swachh Bharat Mission theme.
The MP clarified that no roadshow had been planned so far during the Prime Minister’s visit.
Yaduveer questions State Government’s ethanol allegations
The MP also criticised the Congress Government over the ethanol-blended petrol issue. He alleged that the State Government had deliberately raised the issue to divert public attention from rising prices and increases in fees and fares.
Yaduveer accused the State Government of making false claims about ethanol blending in petrol and said the Union Government had issued a clarification rejecting the allegations made by the State.
The ethanol issue has become a subject of disagreement between the State and Union Governments, with questions being raised over fuel quality and the testing of petrol samples.