Students denied entry to museum, UT administration takes note

Chandigarh Administration today took a serious view on the reported incident of Government Museum and Art Gallery, which is one of the venues to be visited by French President Francois Hollande tomorrow, denying entry to some Delhi University students and ordered a probe into the matter.
"A report has been received that some students from the Delhi University were denied entry. An inquiry has been marked to the Director, Govt. Museum and Art Gallery. She has been directed to verify the details and strict possible action will be taken if it is found that they were denied entry by the Museum staff or any other staff on duty," an official release said here tonight.

It further said Chandigarh Administration has already issued directions to all the Head of Departments that no inconvenience should be caused to visitors and citizens at any place.
The release also claimed that the Museum and all other tourist facilities in Chandigarh including Rock Garden and Capitol Complex remained open for tourists today.
"The Chandigarh Museum alone had 32 Indian visitors throughout the day...Besides, among the foreign visitors included a group of 14 members from South Korea," it said.
French President Francois Hollande will tomorrow commence his three-day India visit from the City Beautiful where he, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will attend a business summit and visit various landmarks.

A thick security blanket has been thrown by security agencies in the city where the two premiers will be at the India-France Business Summit, which will be attended by corporate honchos of the two nations.

Accompanied by a high-level delegation, Hollande will land around 1 PM in Chandigarh, which was designed by Swiss-French architect Charles-Edouard Jeanneret-Gris, also known as Le Corbusier between 1950s and 1960s.
He will be accompanied by Modi during the sightseeing to most frequented tourist spots -- Rock Garden, Capitol Complex, and Government Museum and Art gallery. They will spend close to 15 minutes at each of the three sites before reaching a private hotel for the business meet, officials said.

Notably, last year, the UT Administration had faced severe criticism during Modi's visit to the city. At that time, the administration faced the wrath for shutting down city schools and even crematoriums, prompting Modi to expressed regret for the inconvenience and say that it was "totally avoidable".