Bharat Bhavan Board dispute unfortunate: Pankaj

Bhopal, Aug 3 (UNI) The city-based multi-art centre Bharat Bhavan's Board of Trustees Secretary Rameshwar Mishra Pankaj today described as unfortunate a dispute about the board and contradictory statements by a few members.

''The board will meet here on September 1 and I hope the meeting will not be postponed as has happened on some earlier occasions,'' he told journalists during the release of a calendar for programmes to held at Roopankar, Anhad, Wagarth and Rangmandal wings over the next six months.

A split has occurred among the Board members after a confrontation between Chairman Dayaprakash Singh and Mr Pankaj. The dispute surfaced when Mr Sinha cancelled appointments of directors -- for the four wings -- by Mr Pankaj.

Regarding some Board members allegedly voicing opinions against the secretary, Mr Mishra said, ''the question should be put to the members.'' Pointing out that the Bhavan's legal advisor opined that the institution's bylaws were no longer effective as a period of 25 years had passed, he added that a committee had been constituted for drafting new rules.

Admitting that Rangmandal Director Satish Mehta and his Roopankar counterpart Shobha Ghare had quit their posts, Mr Mishra said, ''the resignations have not been accepted. I have stopped Wagarth Director Narendra Deepak from doing likewise.'' Refusing to disclose details of his related discussion with Chief Minsiter Shivraj Singh Chouhan, he said that the board members were having differences of opinion and not a dispute.

It is believed that the Chief Minister has taken a serious view of the matter and expressed the desire for a respectable and speedy solution.

UNI