Mild tension at Gandhi Darshan amid dispute over managing committee

Mild tension prevailed at the Gandhi Darshan at Nampally Exhibition Grounds on Thursday amid allegations of trespassing and an ongoing dispute over management of the facility.

The Exhibition Society, in a letter dated December 23, informed the Begum Bazar police that a new management committee has been formed for Gandhi Darshan and stated that there was no competent committee earlier. A man named Prasad Gollanapalli allegedly operated unilaterally without the permission of Sarvodaya Vichar and Prachar Foundation and failed to produce documentary evidence despite his assurances to the police.

Meanwhile, Gollanapalli claimed to be the secretary of Gandhi Darshan and alleged that members of the Exhibition Society forcibly entered Gandhi Darshan on Thursday evening, threw away materials, literature and other items belonging to Gandhi and locked the premises. He accused the association and Telangana Gandhi of vandalizing Smarak Nidhi and trying to destroy Gandhi’s legacy.

The matter was referred to the All India Gandhi Smarak Nidhi in New Delhi as per the agreement governing Gandhi Darshan. Nidhi nominated Manish Chaudhary from Domalguda, K. Ranga Ra as Telangana Gandhi’s secretary, Smarak Nidhi and Nagasuri Venugopal from Begumpet to the committee.

Following this, the Exhibition Society held an emergency meeting on 22 December and finalized its charter by nominating three of its members, Aditya Margam, Shankar Lal Baldava and Bolla Anand Kumar, to the management committee.

The newly elected chairman of the committee, Mr Margam, denied allegations of vandalism and said they unlocked the building on Thursday to prepare for the upcoming exhibition.

The association clarified that Gollanapalli was not nominated by Gandhi Smarak Nidhi and therefore had no authority to represent or act on behalf of Gandhi Darshan. In the statement signed by honorary secretary BN Rajeshwar, the police were requested to take note of the developments and initiate necessary action.