A visit last month to the over 250-year-old palace built by France in Puducherry for its Governor-Generals, which later served as the Raj Niwas for the Union Territory’s Lieutenant Governors, was an eye-opener. The stately rooms have been stripped of the fabled furniture and artefacts accumulated by the French over two centuries, including possibly some of the treasurers looted by Governor-General Joseph Dupleix, who occupied an earlier building at the same site. The missing treasures include porcelain statues, ornate French furniture carved from Burmese teak, Belgian mirrors, antique Chinese vases, a 200-year-old grand piano and paintings, including French artist Andre Marie’s depiction of the Malaikottai rock temple.
The explanation for the absent artefacts is that the building is unsafe as the foundation is sinking and the walls are crumbling — a fact certified by IIT-Chennai and the PWD. The Raj Niwas staff, however, offer vague explanations as to where the absent pieces are presently. One clarification is that the furniture has already moved to the proposed new Raj Niwas, formerly a distillery and still incomplete. Another staffer suggests that the furniture remains in the original building, but a visit to the premises belied the claim. The conscientious former L-G Kiran Bedi, who officiated between 2016 and 2021, assigned an intern to prepare a booklet detailing photographs and descriptions of all major artworks during her tenure.
Many of the pieces described in the brochure are no longer on display. Those in-charge of the mansion’s interiors in recent years seem to have a pronounced lack of aesthetic sensibilities and the décor makes a mockery of the building’s past glory. Plastic chairs were placed next to the few remaining French mantle clocks, cheap pink tiles fixed close to the exquisite handmade Athangudi tiles with European designs and along with the few remaining Thanjavur paintings, someone has hung atrocious kitsch.
The question that begs an answer is who is in charge of the inventory of the artefacts? Why should the treasures be scattered between a building that is yet to be completely vacated and another that is still incomplete? One wonders why the entire collection could not have been temporarily housed in the museum across the road, which showcases a paltry display of French heritage. Unfortunately, the two L-Gs who succeeded Bedi, Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan and Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan, stayed at the Raj Niwas only briefly as Puducherry was an additional temporary charge and Telangana their principal responsibility. Present L-G K Kailashnathan, once PM Modi’s trusted adviser as Gujarat CM, took charge only late last year. Shortly after he joined, he was informed that the building was unsafe and he shifted his family to residential quarters in the building under construction, though he still functions from the Raj Niwas.
Sister outshines brother
There is near agreement even in the Congress that Priyanka Gandhi outshines her brother as a parliamentarian. Her speeches in Hindi, clutching notes for reference, resonate with audiences. She has met Amit Shah and J P Nadda seeking the Centre’s assistance for her Wayanad constituency. Priyanka is an active member of the parliamentary committee on home and friendly with fellow MPs across the board. In contrast, Rahul is generally stiff and standoffish with the ruling party. His choice of issues and confused, badly researched, extempore speeches are his weakness, be it his refrain about the Adani-Ambani monopoly or “vote chori”. After Operation Sindoor, Rahul taunted Modi that India had capitulated because of Trump and approvingly quoted the US President’s description of the Indian economy as ‘‘dead’’, oblivious that he was not merely mocking Modi but offending nationalistic sentiments. On the other hand, Priyanka in her Parliament speech on Operation Sindoor, was restrained, raising the pertinent point that someone should be accountable for security lapses that permitted terrorists to enter Baisaran Valley.
Dancing with enemy
The growing disenchantment with Rahul’s leadership is reflected in usually meek Congresspersons not shy of being seen publicly consorting with his pet target, billionaire Gautam Adani. In Bhopal, Digvijay Singh attended the wedding of the director of an Adani company, while Sushil Kumar Shinde posed with the controversial industrialist at his own granddaughter’s wedding. Telangana’s Congress CM Revanth Reddy is reportedly working on deals with both the Adanis and Ambanis. Meanwhile, Congress allies Supriya Sule and Mahua Moitra danced on stage together with BJP MP Kangana Ranaut to the Bollywood song ‘Deewangi Deewangi’ at former Congressman-turned-BJP MP Naveen Jindal’s daughter’s wedding.