A Bhandar of Controversies

Till now, people used to talk about Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute as a place of scholars. But for the last one month, they are witness to an ugly brawl of accusations and re-accusations between various parties. The premier institute in indology is now in the midst of a fight which is attributed to the power struggle in the institute. The thing settles to one thing : the contrlo of the grant of Rs. 7.5 Crores which BORI, is getting from central government.

Election is being conducted for BORI’s executive council on 5 June. For 25 seats in the institute, a total of 48 candidates are in the fray. The main players in this election are M. G. Dadhphale, present honourary secretary of the institute and Saroja Bhate and Dr. Lila Arjuwadkar, ex-honourary secretary. While Dhadphale is facing accusations from all quarters ranging from misappropriation of the funds to patronising encorachments, he refutes the charge that rival camp is making the charges keeping in view impending elections.

The issue came to surface on 5 May when Bhate and Arjunwadkar announced a one day silent protest against an alleged ‘encroachment’ in the institute. The matter was related to Green Glory Nursery, which was given a place in the premise on a one year lease. The lease period was over in January 08 still the nursery has not moved out. Bhate and Arjunwadkar camp alleges that Dhadphale is patronising this encroachment. Dhadphale refutes the charge and claims that he had issued notice to nursery. Meanwhile, Surekha Pathak, who runs this nursery has alleged that her nursery has made a scapegoat in the internal politics of the institute.

Commenting about the controvesy, Saroja Bhate, a member of the Executive Body of the institute, said, "We are not in conflict with Dhadphale but we have some points to make. First he cliamed that he has bought Rs. 11 Cores to institute, then he came to Rs. 7 crore and now he is settling on Rs. 5 Crores. This grant is government’s decision, he has no hand in it. He does not have any document to prove his claims and our information is that Rs. 2 Crore which were to be received for digitization project have returned because the money was not used as stipulated. He is not convening meeting and information aboout anything is not provided. Angered with Dhadphale’s this style of functioning, all members of the executive body had resigned last year."

Bhate expressed unhappiness over this controversy bringing disrepute to institute. "Each one of us is trying to avoid any harm being done to the image of BORI. We are approching the press. But in this situation, what more can we do," she asked.

Leela Arjunwadkar, who has stood against Dhadphale said, "The institute has run into mismanagement in all respect. Dhadphale even does not give any information about anything. He does not honour even senior members. Even in his earlier stint in 2002-05, the institute was better. After that, he claimed that he has changed for the better. When I asked him how can he say so, he couldn’t say anything."

Arjunwadkar said that for the last two years, there has been no commendable research in the institute. The image of the institute has been spoiled bacause of the various controversies, which was never happened in the past . "Dhadphale’s claims about bringing the grant on his own as well as about the status of the nursery were challenged. In BORI, General Body is supreme. Then come Regulating Council and Executive Body. Secretary is only a chief executive officer. Still he functions as though he is responsible to none. Even our election are staring in the face and still there is no scrutinizer for the process, which is mandatory by the rules."

M. G. Dhadphale could not be contacted in his office as well as his residence even after repeated attempts.
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This is not the only issue dragged to the public glory. Court cases to money matters, the drama involves all.
Just a week ago, distirct magistrate S. S. Phanasalkar-Joshi dismissed a resolution passed by the excutive body of the institute prohibiting Dhadphale from functioning as honorary secretary.

A controversy is raging wherein new applications for life membership are pending for over six months. G. T. Panse, executive board chairman of the institute have accused Dhadphale for this saying he is not following the statuary rules. Dhadphale has obviously refused the charges. The issue assumes siginificanse as more than 1,600 life members eligible for votijg in the election.

Pandit Vasantrao Gadgil and Dhadphale were involved in a controversy some time ago as ‘differences’ among them caused a delay in payment of the salary to employees. Folowing some exchanges between them, Pt. Gadgil offered to resign from the post of treasurer but later resented and cancelled the offer.
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The new governing council will control the use of grant money announced by Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram in his budget for the year 2007-08. The raging controversies are attributed to the full flowing coffers of the institute. After the vandalization of the institute in January 2004, it has survived on the limited funds which came largely from the state government.

Some three months back, Bori received Rs 5 crore as a first instalment of the Rs 7.5-crore share that came its way through the Rs 30-crore special grants announced in the Union Budget 2007, for four premier institutions in the country.

Apart from this special grant, Chidambaram had announced a grant of Rs. 2 crore grant during his visit to theb institute in December 2006 for the digitisation of rare manuscripts and books.

Chairperson of Infosys Foundation Sudha Murthy had donated Rs 20 lakh to the institute.

National Manuscript Mission too has donated Rs 5 lakh for preservation of the 29 rare Rigveda manuscripts that have figured in the UNESCO’s ‘World Memory’ list.