M Kula Segaran says the ashrams board members shouldn't be so adamant in fighting against having the building preserved as a heritage site.

KUALA LUMPUR: DAP MP M Kula Segaran today promised that he would fight till the end to preserve the Vivekananda Ashram in Brickfields here as a heritage site.

The Ipoh Barat parliamentarian said he was ever ready to work closely with Culture and Tourism Minister Nazri Abdul Aziz and others committed to the cause to achieve his goal.

He planned to raise the issue in Parliament soon in the wake of a decision by the board of trustees of Vivekananda Ashram to reject the Federal Governments proposal to designate the ashram as a heritage site under Section 27(2) of the National Heritage Act.

Its learnt that the government cannot automatically gazette the historical icon as a heritage site without the boards approval.

Why must the board be so adamant and fight against the wishes of the local community to have the building preserved?

The fight for Vivekananda Ashram to be preserved as a heritage site shall continue, vowed Kula, also the DAP national vice-chairman.

The board of trustees has planned to redevelop the ashram into a multi story condominium.

The local Indian community has however held a signature campaign and demonstrations opposing the redevelopment plan.

Urged by the community, Nazri visited the site and agreed to gazette the ashram as a heritage site.

See more here:
MP vows to save Vivekananda Ashram against all odds