HC asks Centre, J-K govt to restore state museum

The directions were passed by a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice M M Kumar and Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar last week after going through the report submitted by a committee constituted by the court to trace the antiques, artifacts and manuscripts belong to SPS Museum Srinagar which have been loaned to other institutions.

"The survey reports highlight some peculiar features which do not leave a good taste in mouth.

It has come on record that a large number of items have been given on loan by the (SPS) Museum...It has been suggested that steps should be taken to take possession of the seized antique items.

The recommendations should include all items listed in annexures A and B," the bench said.

Annexure A contains the list of 209 items loaned by the SPS Museum to Central Asian Museum of Kashmir University while Annexure B contains the list of items including coins of Kashmir, painting, Sanskrit manuscript, Persian manuscript and a gun gifted or loaned to other museums outside the state.

The court expressed concern over the missing items which include a manuscript of Holy Quran bearing the seal of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, which was stolen from the museum in 2003.

The court, which is hearing a public interest litigation filed by Valley Citizens Council, directed the respondents including the Centre and State government to file a status report before the next hearing on February 12, 2013.