A PIL has been filed in Bombay High Court to save Savarkar Sadan from demolition. The petitioner demands heritage status, calling it a symbol of India’s freedom legacy.
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Bombay High Court asking for protection and heritage status for Savarkar Sadan, the old house of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, also known as Veer Savarkar, located in Dadar West, Mumbai.
He was an important leader in the Hindu nationalist movement and played a big role in India’s freedom struggle. The PIL was filed after news reports said that the building might soon be demolished.
The petition has been submitted by a Hindu organisation named Abhinav Bharat Congress through its head, Dr. Pankaj K Phadnis.
It requests the Maharashtra government to act on a long-pending recommendation to include Savarkar Sadan in Mumbai’s official Heritage List.
The petition is expected to be heard soon by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice MS Karnik of the Bombay High Court.
The PIL mentions that on May 5, a newspaper published a report which said that the building is likely to be demolished.
This report made the petitioner file the PIL urgently to stop any action that might destroy the historic building.
As stated in the petition, Savarkar Sadan is closely connected to the memory of Veer Savarkar, a “key figure in the Hindu nationalist movement” and someone who had a major influence on India’s freedom struggle.
The petitioner argues that if this site is demolished, it would be an “irreparable loss” to India’s heritage and freedom history.
The petition also blames the Maharashtra government for not taking any steps even though it received a proposal for heritage status almost fifteen years ago.
The petitioner says this long delay shows a lack of interest and care, which has now put the building at risk.
The PIL says the state’s “apathy” is the main reason the building is facing danger from redevelopment or destruction.
It also compares the situation of Savarkar Sadan with Jinnah House, another old building in Mumbai that is connected to Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.
Jinnah House has already been given protected heritage status. On the other hand, Savarkar Sadan still remains without any such official recognition, even though it is historically important. The petition highlights this unequal treatment.
The PIL not only asks the Maharashtra government to immediately give heritage status to Savarkar Sadan but also urges the Central government to think about declaring it a Monument of National Importance.
Even though the site is currently not eligible under the Archaeological Survey of India’s 100-year rule, the petitioner says it still deserves recognition because of its historical value. The petition demands that an exception should be made in this case.
The plea also asks for temporary protection of the building until the court gives a final decision.
It seeks a clear policy from the Central government on how to give national status to such sites and also wants the legal heirs of Savarkar to be compensated if any restrictions are placed on the building due to redevelopment rules.
The petition finally says that, “the act would irreparably damage India’s freedom struggle legacy” and strongly requests the authorities to protect a structure that holds such deep emotional and national value.
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