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Over 40 eminent personalities from art, theatre and movie world led by Anil Dharker have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to intervene in the sale of Mehrangir or Bhabha Bungalow, a well-known property in South Mumbai.
On Wednesday, National Centre for Performing Arts, which holds the rights for the property, is learnt to have sold the bungalow to Pheroza Godrej, wife of Jamshyd Godrej, managing director and chairman, Godrej & Boyce.
In the days leading to the auction of the property, Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan, eminent scientist Prof C N R Rao and Department of Atomic Energy Employees wrote to the PM to intervene in the sale of the bungalow. In fact, two members of the National Federation of Atomic Energy Employees (NFAEE) moved Bombay High Court to stop the auction of the property. The court has placed the matter for hearing on Monday.
The letter signed by Dharker and others said the appeal by Rao and others are completely misplaced and Dr Homi Bhabha only lived a few years of his life there.
"In demanding that Mehrangir be made into a Homi Bhabha Museum, Prof Rao and others are disregarding not only the legacy of Jamshed Bhabha, but also ignoring the vital cultural activities of NCPA to which Dr Jamshed Bhabha dedicated his life. NCPA is one of the most important cultural centres in India, playing a significant part in promoting theatre, music,dance, cinema and literature in all Indian languages and in all possible forms, " the letter said.
They said that Dr Jamshed Bhabha was well aware that NCPA does not receive any grants or subsidies from the either government or the corporates, it needed te infusion of funds, from private benefactors.
The requests to turn Dr Jamshed Bhabha's house into a museum in memory of his brother, belittles Jamshed Bhabha's great contribution to the cultural life of the country. It also disregards the vital importance of culture in the life of our nation, the letter said.
