[CPProt.net] India: Plunder of Antiques

[MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)]

Plunder of Antiques 
by M K Laul 

LONG romanticised as genteel larceny, plunder of art heritage in India has
touched scandalous proportions. And nobody is losing sleep over it.Experts
believe more than a thousand antiques valued at Rs 100 million are smuggled
out of the country annually. In spite of elaborate legislative protection
and a host of recently introduced fancy measures of interception the
racketeers are operating in a state of near total impunity.

Between themselves, the officials of the different state departments
connected with the maintenance and protection of antiques contradict, refute
and blame each other rather than work in concert.

Even as the revenue intelligence officials were claiming that the problem
has been more or less solved because no case of the smuggling of antiques
had come to its notice during the past one year, the crime branch of the
Delhi police made a sensational seizure of 1,500 antiques on way to
different European destinations. The police claimed that the antiques had
been procured through a national network of touts and agents.

On the other hand, since 1976, proceedings have been initiated only against
58 cases involving a total of just about 1,461 antiques. A top official of
Archaeological Survey of India's (ASI) said "A lot has been done of late to
stem the rot but it has not been possible to evolve a foolproof system so
far."

The ASI has recommended a set of proposals seeking amendment to the existing
laws.

Besides making smuggling or theft of antiques a cognisable offence, it was
also proposed to amend the law to make punishment more stringent, shifting
the onus of proving innocence on the possessor of the antique and compulsory
registration of FIR within two days.

Conceding that cent-per-cent check was not possible, officials say
unscrupulous dealers steal from unprotected monuments and temples and also
dupe unsuspecting villagers in possession of antiques. The problem has been
compounded due to financial constraints and the fact that Indian antiques
fetch an enormous price on the international market.

Antiques, according to the law, are sculptures in media, paintings of all
kinds, illustrated and illuminated manuscripts, woodcarvings having figure
in round and in relief. They are to be compulsorily registered with the ASI.

The ASI official added that complete documentation of all types of antiques
would be of immense value as it would serve as a handy national catalogue.
But such would have its disadvantages too, as it would also serve as a ready
compendium for art thieves and smugglers.

The ASI director general said: "Fifty per cent of the smuggled antiques are
fakes which are passed off as genuine."

Officials feel that enough publicity has not been done for registration of
antiques. The result is that only 3,00,000 antiques have been registered
with the ASI so far. INAV

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