Papul Jayakar to Probe Bharat Bhawan working

                                       NK SINGH

The Bharat Bhawan Trust has requested Mrs Papul Jayakar, the government of led nominee on the trust, to inquire into the allegations against the functioning of Bharat Bhawan, the multi-arts complex at Bhopal, and the trustee secretary, Mr Ashok Vajpeyi, a senior IAS officer.

Disclosing this here on Thursday, the trust's chairman, Mr Arjun Singh, AIC- CIT) vice-president, told newsmen that Mrs Jayakar would conduct the in-house inquiry into the allegations level.

Led in the wake of the Karanth affair, B. V. Karanth, one of the Bharat Bhawan trusters and director of its repertory, was arrested last month by the Bhopal police on the charge of trying to burn to death an actress of his drama troupe.

Mr Arjun Singh, who came here on Thursday to attend an organisational meeting, also visited the lake-side bouse of arts and addressed a gathering of Bharat Bhawan artists and employers. He reportedly assured them of all possible help. 

Mr Singh wanted to meet Karanth, but due to a shortage of time, he could not visit the jail before flying back to Delhi in the afternoon. " I shall meet him, maybe, during my next visit," he told ENS.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ashok Vajpeyi is understood to have received an offer from the Government of India for the post of director general of the Festival of India. The Madhya Pradesh Government is believed to have received the in-saves message from Mrs Papul Jayakar asking them to spare Me, Vajpeyi, for the job. He is at present the cultural secretary of the state Government. 

Mr Singh told newsmen that artists at Bharat Bhawan complained to him about the campaign of "character assassination launched against them in the wake of the Karanth affair. He hoped that the Bhopal citizens would not try to disrupt the activities of Bharat Bhawan, particularly Rangmandal the repertory: Some cultural organisations of the town have threatened to picket Bharat Bhawan to stop the Rangmandal performance.

Indian Express

June 5, 1986