Ambedkar's museum in London faces closure

THE government of Indian state of Maharashtra could be forced to close a London museum dedicated to one of the country’s “founding fathers” after a planning row with council bosses.

The Primrose Hill property in north London was converted into a memorial dedicated to Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, who died in 1956, at a cost of around £2 million.

Dr Ambedkar, who lived in the property between 1921 and 1922 while studying at the London School of Economics, was Independent India's first law and justice minister and is said to be the "principal architect" of India's constitution.

However, its popularity has led to objections from neighbours.

Sue Price, who lives nearby, claimed visitors to the museum were arriving in "coach loads" to take photographs.

She said: "We are now disturbed by the noise day and night seven days a week."

Camden Council denied the application to convert the house into a museum in October 2018 on the grounds it would be "detrimental" to the amount of residential floor space provided in the borough.

Solicitor Ravindra Kumar, from the law firm Singhania & Co, which is appealing against the council's enforcement notice on behalf of the government of Maharashtra, said they were “disappointed with the notice”.

They added that the The High Commission of India and state had spent “a substantial amount of money” on the project.

The appeal is due to be heard at a planning inquiry on September 24.