Kuala Lumpur, April 4 – A peaceful gathering organized by several NGOs and political parties, is scheduled to be held tomorrow from 10.00 am to 12.00 pm to save Vivekananda Ashram in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.
The gathering organized by the “Save Vivekananda Ashram Action Committee” (SVAAC) will be held in front of the Ashram.
In this regard, Malaysian Indians Progressive Association (MIPAS), a NGO devoted the cause of saving Ashram condemns and notes with great sadness that Vivekananda Ashram trustees are objecting to the ashram being turned into a heritage site.
“We are very disappointed that the trustees have not considered the people’s feelings and sentiments and the worst part is that the trustees did not even specify reasons for objecting, nor did they consult anyone first. MIPAS wants the trustees to withdraw the objection or resign and walk out for letting down the people” MIPAS Secretary General S.Barathidasan (pic) said in a press statement.
“MIPAS want to know why are they objecting. More than 100,000 signatures were garnered by the end of last year in a petition calling to save the ashram and opposing the redevelopment of the site. The fight for Vivekananda Ashram to be preserved as a heritage site shall continue” Barathidasan further said.
Save Vivekananda Ashram Action Committee (SVAAC), many NGOs and the public will be organising a peaceful gathering tomorrow (Sunday April 5, 2015) at the Vivekananda Ashram from 10.00am till 12.00noon for members of the community to show their support for the 110-year-old building to be declared a national heritage.
The purpose of the peaceful gathering this Sunday is to register our displeasure at the Trustees and to make it loud and clear to the Trustees to respect the views of the Community. MIPAS urge the multi-racial public to give their show of support this Sunday which will make an impact and a big difference to our mission to save the Ashramam and to have it gazetted as a heritage site.
Najib also invited
In their press statement MIPAS also invited the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, all Barisan National and Pakatan Rakyat politicians to join this Sunday’s peaceful rally to save Vivekananda Ashram.
“This is the nation’s heritage matter, when the Prime Minister has the time to spend on Ugadi Open House (Telegu New Year Celebration) this Sunday April 5, at Dataran Merdeka Kuala Lumpur organized by Telegu Association of Malaysia and why can’t he join us too?. MIPAS believe that the PM’s 1Malaysia slogan “People first….. Performance now” will come true” noted the press statement.
MIPAS also noted that the issue of declaring heritage status for the ashram was raised in Parliament late last year. The Heritage Department then followed up by issuing a written notice under Section 272(2) of the National Heritage Act 2005 on January 14.
“However the notice expired on Thursday March 19, and a day before that, the Ashram Trustees submitted a last-minute objection to the proposal to grant heritage status to Vivekenanda Ashram. Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said in the Parliament last year that the process to gazette the site might prolong if objections are raised along the way” MIPAS Secretary General Barathidasan pointed out in his press statement.
It’s learnt that the government cannot automatically gazette the historical icon as a heritage site without the board’s approval.
“Why must the board be so adamant and fight against the wishes of the local community to have the building preserved?” Barathidasan asked.
It is believed that the board of trustees has planned to redevelop the ashram into a multi-story condominium.
The ashram was named after the 19th century Hindu philosophical guru Swami Vivekananda, who was born in Kolkata as Narendranath Datta on January 12, 1863.
Vivekananda became famous as an “Orator by Divine Right” and as a “Messenger of Indian Wisdom to the Western World”, after his speeches at the World’s Parliament of Religions held in September, 1893 in Chicago, America.
