BENGALURU: The state government clarified on Tuesday that there is no move to hand over Venkatappa Art Gallery to private parties and assured the Assembly that the government will hold a meeting with the artists to clarify the misconception.
Opposition leader Jagadish Shettar raised the issue during zero hour and read out certain clauses in the MoU signed between the private trust and the Tourism Department.
He also said that the Trust will be asked to maintain the gallery for five years, which can be extended for another five years. BJP member Suresh Kumar contended that the gallery belongs to the Kannada and Culture Department and Karnataka Lalith Kala Academy should have been involved.
When Tourism Minister R.V. Deshpande argued that a private company was spending its CSR funds to renovate the gallery, former Speaker Ramesh Kumar asked why there should be an MoU between the Trust and the Minister for doing a charity work.
Mr Deshpande said that the Trust will spend money on upgradation of facilities in the gallery. “They will maintain the gallery, but will not take any revenue collected in the gallery. The government will hold talks with the artists and give them the copy of the MoU,” he said.
