HERITAGE FURNITURE IS CHANDIGARH’S PRICELESS GLOBAL IDENTITY: DR. RAJINDER K. SINGLA
CHANDIGARH: Expressing serious concern over the continuous disappearance of Chandigarh’s heritage furniture and the alleged lack of concrete action by the administration, local RTI activist Dr. Rajinder K. Singla has filed two detailed applications under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 with the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Chandigarh, on April 15 and April 22.
Through these RTI applications, Dr. Singla has sought extensive official records to determine what legal provisions, institutional mechanisms, investigation procedures, and recovery efforts have been undertaken by the Chandigarh Administration to prevent the theft, illegal export, and foreign auction of these internationally renowned heritage assets.
In the first RTI application, he has sought a certified copy of the Ministry of Home Affairs order dated February 22, 2011, under which the transfer/export of Chandigarh’s heritage furniture and artworks was reportedly prohibited. He has also requested complete records of the Heritage Protection Cell, details of policies adopted over the past 20 years, information related to compliance with the UNESCO 1970 Convention, action taken reports on complaints, and whether any consolidated report or white paper has been prepared regarding heritage objects auctioned abroad.
He has further sought documents related to the Heritage Inventory Committee (2012), which reportedly prepared a list of 12,793 objects. In addition, he has asked for records related to the visit of the Le Corbusier Foundation delegation on November 17, 2022, and the status of the long-pending proposal to establish a Heritage Furniture Museum.
In the second RTI application, Dr. Singla has sought certified copies of all FIRs registered over the past 20 years concerning the theft, illegal export, or unauthorized sale of heritage furniture and artworks. He has also requested details of efforts made with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and other agencies to prevent smuggling and recover stolen items.
Additionally, he has sought copies of correspondence with authorities of Panjab University, Punjab Engineering College, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, the Chandigarh Secretariat, Government College of Art, Punjab and Haryana High Court, and MLA Flats, along with details of any civil, criminal, or international legal action taken in connection with the matter.
He has also sought records of diplomatic communications with foreign governments, Interpol, and auction agencies, details of the eight pending theft cases reportedly mentioned by the Police Commissioner of the French Embassy in 2023, and information regarding steps taken on major foreign auctions highlighted in the media.
Importantly, he has also asked whether the Chandigarh Administration ever issued notices to any foreign auction agencies or took diplomatic or legal measures to stop such auctions and ensure the return of Chandigarh’s heritage property.
Demand for Transparency and Accountability
Dr. Singla stated that Chandigarh’s heritage furniture is not merely decorative material but a priceless cultural legacy and an integral part of the city’s globally acclaimed architectural identity. He said that if these heritage assets were illegally exported and auctioned abroad, it represents a grave loss of national heritage and raises serious questions regarding administrative accountability.He further said that Chandigarh must develop a robust mechanism to protect its heritage assets and make effective legal and diplomatic efforts to recover stolen objects.
According to Dr. Singla, the replies obtained through RTI will clarify whether the Chandigarh Administration has actually taken any concrete steps over the past two decades or whether the issue continued to be neglected despite repeated exposure in media reports.
He added that numerous media reports published over the last two decades have repeatedly highlighted that Chandigarh’s invaluable heritage furniture and artworks — especially those designed by world-renowned architects Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret — were allegedly stolen, misappropriated, or illegally sold in foreign markets and international auctions in countries such as France, United Kingdom, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, and the United States.
According to media reports, heritage objects worth nearly ₹500 crore have reportedly been sold abroad over the past 20 years. These items were often said to belong to major public institutions associated with the Chandigarh Administration, including the Secretariat, Punjab and Haryana High Court, Panjab University, Punjab Engineering College, PGI, and MLA Flats.
