‘Ashram should be heritage site’

Clear proof: Paranjothy showing a document that proves National Heritage Department once attempted to push for the Vikekananda Ashram’s heritage status.

THE National Heritage Department had applied to gazette the century-old Vivekananda Ashram in 2008 as a heritage site under the National Heritage Act 2005, claims former Gerakan Youth Sports and Culture vice-president S. Paranjothy.

Paranjothy, who was part of a pro-tem committee set up in 2004 to save the iconic building from being demolished, produced notices from the Heritage Department published in 2008 and 2009, of its intention to designate the site as a Heritage Site.