Lack of funds hinders repair of Aga Khan palace

Within a week of detention, Mahadeobhai passed away following a massive heart attack while Kasturba died here on February 22, 1944 after prolonged illness.

The samadhis of Kasturba and Mahadeobhai stand in the palace grounds as mute and solemn reminders of those heady days of the freedom struggle.

Besides, a museum at the palace has sought to perpetuate the eternal presence of the Mahatma by displaying some of his personal belongings and those of Kasturba, like clothes, spoons, bowls, glass and a pair of leather sandals.

TheMahatma Gandhi National Memorial, which manages the palace, is in need of funds to carry out the palace’s maintenance. Although the State and the Central Governments are under no obligation to fund the palace’s maintenance, the State Government, however, had been taking care of this aspect through its public works department, says Mohan Joshi, president of the Pune city unit of the Congress, which has decided to take up the cause of the monument.

The late prime minister Indira Gandhi had orally directed the then chief minister of Maharashtra Vasantrao Naik to take care of the Aga Khan palace. Accordingly, the State Government had been releasing appropriate funds through the public works department, says Joshi.

However, the funding was stopped over the last five years, Joshi claimed. The city Congress chief has written a letter to Chief Minister Narayan Rane appealing to the latter to resume the funding for maintenance.