Comments on Mysore Palace, Royal Family 

Yaduveer accuses Legislature, Executive of misusing powers; says properties belong to rightful owners

Mysuru: Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, commenting on the controversy surrounding Mysore Palace properties, alleged that both the Legislature and the Executive had misused their powers in attempting to take over Palace properties. 

Addressing a press conference at the BJP office in Chamarajapuram this morning, he said the matter was before the Court and that the Judiciary would take a final decision. The Palace had never sought political mileage from Dasara, he maintained. 

Dismissing personal comments and criticism directed at the Palace as irrelevant, Yaduveer said, people expected politicians to focus on development. “The Palace property will remain with those to whom it belongs, no matter what politicians or others say about it,” he said. 

Yaduveer said that his mother, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, would handle matters concerning Dasara, the Ambari and the Golden Throne. She had already issued press statements clarifying the Palace’s stand on these issues, he added. 

Calling for reforms in the conduct of Dasara, he said, there had been lapses during the last celebrations, with complaints relating to the Aahara Mela and illumination, among other things. The Government should address such shortcomings, he said. 

Planetarium opening  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the world’s first tilted LED dome planetarium in Mysuru on the afternoon of Nov. 13. 

The Cosmology Education and Research Training Centre (COSMOS), a state-of-the-art planetarium, is being developed at the Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Centre for Higher Learning of the University of Mysore, at the foot of Chamundi Hill. Yaduveer said, the project had been taken up at a cost of Rs. 115 crore. 

160 seats, exhibition halls 

It will have a sky theatre with 160 seats, exhibition halls, a museum and training laboratories for STEM education in English and Kannada. It will also feature live telecasts of the night sky from locations such as Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir and Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu. 

The planetarium, being developed in association with Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Astrophysics, is the dream project of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, he added. 

Yaduveer said, the Prime Minister would also inaugurate a mini-forest at K.C. Layout (Kempu Cheluvajammanni Nagar). Developed over four acres using the Miyawaki method, the dense urban green space is located adjacent to Veerayodha A.P. Prashanth Park. 

The project has been taken up by the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) under its ‘Namma Mysuru-Namma Koduge’ initiative, in collaboration with the SBI Foundation as part of its CSR initiative and the Catch Foundation. The micro-forest also features the Swachh Bharat Mission theme, with a prominent logo design. 

The MP said, no roadshow had been planned so far during the Prime Minister’s visit. 

Ethanol issue raked up to divert attention 

Alleging that the ruling Congress Government had deliberately raked up the ethanol issue to divert public attention from rising prices and hikes in fees and fares, Yaduveer accused the State Government of making false claims about ethanol blending with petrol. The Union Government had issued a clarification rejecting the State Government’s allegations, he said.