Patna: Mithilesh Kumar Singh, a former minister who was chairman of the state advisory committee of home department on pension scheme to JP movement activists, has demanded conversion of Mahila Charkha Samiti, residence of Jayaprakash Narayan, into a national museum. JP and his wife Prabhwati Devi lived and died at the Samiti in Kadamkuan area in heart of the state capital.
Singh, in a letter to PM Narendra Modi, said JP spent almost his entire life at Samiti from where he led the movement against Indira Gandhi and for total revolution. It was the centre of political activities during JP movement, he recalled and said even Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi had visited there. Senior leaders Morarji Desai, Chandrashekhar, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L K Advani were frequent visitors to the samiti to consult JP on different issues.
Singh said while Teen Murti residence of Jawahar Lal Nehru, Safdarjung road residence of Indira Gandhi and residences of Jagjiwan Ram and Lal Bahadur Shastri have been converted into national museum,the residence of JP could not become national museum either during the Janata government or BJP led governments at the Centre.The union culture ministry sanctioned Rs 7.32 lakhs for renovation of the building in June this year which is too small for even maintaince of the house where JP stayed and guided the 1942 movement against the Britishers too.
Wives of the freedom fighters who were jailed during Quit India movement were trained by JP and his wife in spinning textiles to keep them engaged and also have means of livelihood. Singh said, ” The governing body of the institution has become defunct.” He said a national museum status to the Mahila Charkha Samiti would be a befitting tribute to JP.