13/10/2014
Times of India - NEW DELHI: A power tussle is being witnessed at the headquarters of Jawahar Lal Nehru National Youth Centre (JNNYC), a voluntary non-political organization located at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg. Accusations, name-calling and complaints are flying thick and fast in this takeover battle. At stake is a national body with premises spread across the country. Its president, 89-year-old ND Tiwari, is a sad witness to all the ongoing bickering.
P Govardhan Reddy, the working president of the centre reveals that Tiwari's wife and son, Ujjwala Sharma and Rohit Shekhar, 'invaded' the headquarters with ex-MP Praveen Singh Aron on October 7. He alleges that they were accompanied by 30-40 goons and ransacked the property. "Ujjwala Sharma and Rohit Shekhar, both non members, created a ruckus at the premises, broke locks and tried to take over the property in the garb of placing Tiwari in the president's chair," he said.
Reddy added that he was appointed as the working president by Tiwari himself. He reported the incident to police that he and his team were prevented from holding meetings and carrying out daily business. "We created this property and have been diligently carrying out our duties since 1993 at the behest of Tiwari. The other group is taking advantage of his old age and bad health," Reddy asserted.
The other group, though, rubbishes these allegations and has constituted a new body and removed Reddy and other senior office bearer Indira Mayaram from their posts. They, too, cite Tiwari's approval for their action. Aron asserts entry of a president at the centre's premises can't be termed an 'invasion'. He adds that Tiwari has been present at the centre for the last few days, but the other group hasn't shown the courtesy to meet him.
"They complained to the police that we are not letting them work. We want to know what stops them from working under the actual president," Aron questions.
The newly-appointed national general secretary, Purshottam Goyal, has questioned the legitimacy of Reddy's claims and asserts that Tiwari had appointed him as working president owing to his busy political schedule. Since Tiwari is free to resume his duties as the centre's head, the post of working president is not needed. "The president has assumed his office and so have other office bearers. We are functioning fully under the constitution of the body," he said.
Both sides are accusing the other of attempting to reduce a reputed body to a family fiefdom. The previous body accuses Ujjwala and Rohit of ignoring Tiwari's poor health and using him to acquire his properties. The newly-constituted body, though, terms it as an attempt to deflect the blame. "Reddy and Mayaram never fulfilled any of their duties such as hosting regular meetings, ensuring financial transparency and opening the membership drive. They had their children as members by altering the constitution. They were trying to use this centre as their family outfit and are now using their children to exert external pressure on us," accused Goyal.
Reddy insists he is still the working president and has sent copies of minutes of the meetings to the registrar to decide which body retains the right to run the centre. "We have sent the minutes of our meetings to the authorities to let them decide," said Reddy.
The one person who seemed to be the most disturbed by this episode was Tiwari.
When TOI met him at the centre, it was evident he didn't want to be dragged into the controversy. When informed about concerns raised over his mental health and inability to continue as president, Tiwari asserted, "It is an injustice to me. Those making such allegations are mistaken." http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Tiwari-kin-pitch-for-youth-centre-reins/articleshow/44765507.cms
A power tussle is being witnessed at the headquarters of Jawahar Lal Nehru National Youth Centre (JNNYC), a voluntary non-political organization located at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg.
