CHANDIGARH, 23 June — In yet another blow to India’s cultural legacy, heritage artefacts originating from Chandigarh were illegally auctioned in Brussels, Belgium, on June 18, fetching a total of ₹1.06 crore, according to Ajay Jagga, a member of the Heritage Items Protection Cell of the Chandigarh Administration.
Jagga said that five heritage items were auctioned:
- A set of six chairs fetched ₹31.90 lakh
- A single chair sold for ₹11.96 lakh
- A set of three committee chairs went for ₹24.92 lakh
- A sofa drew ₹19.94 lakh
- A dining table was sold for ₹16.94 lakh
“These are national treasures designed during the making of modern Chandigarh. Their sale abroad without authorisation is not just illegal, but a matter of national concern,” Jagga said.
In a formal letter addressed to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Jagga reiterated his long-standing demand for stronger intervention from the Centre. While he acknowledged that the Ministry of Culture had responded by directing agencies like the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to investigate, he expressed disappointment that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had yet to act.
“So far, there has been no alert issued to Indian embassies abroad. Without diplomatic intervention, these auctions will continue unchecked,” Jagga warned. “Indian missions need to be sensitised to heritage protection, so they can at least raise alarms and work to stop such sales through diplomatic engagement.”
Jagga’s latest communication is part of his ongoing efforts to safeguard Chandigarh’s internationally renowned architectural legacy, much of it designed by Le Corbusier and his associates. He stressed that only sustained diplomatic pressure can prevent further loss of national heritage.
