Bangalore: Unable to clear income tax arrears and fight the litigation over the Bangalore Palace land, four daughters and other descendants of the former Maharaja of Mysore, Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, have offered to surrender a part of the palace land to the Government if they are allowed to build a memorial for the late maharaja and also a commercial complex.

Jayachamaraja Wadiyar had five daughters of whom the eldest, Gayatri Devi, is no more. She is survived by her husband, K.B. Ramachandra Raja Urs, a son and three daughters.

The only son of the former maharaja is Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, former Congress MP from Mysore, who has been fighting the Government over the acquisition of the Mysore Palace and the Bangalore Palace land and has also made efforts to develop the real estate belonging to the erstwhile royal family.

The four surviving daughters of the former maharaja are Meenakshi Devi, Kamakshi Devi, Indirakshi Devi and Vishalakshi Devi.

They and the children of late Gayatri Devi called on Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday and discussed with him the issue of enjoying their rights over their share in the Bangalore Palace land (455 acres in all).

Speaking to presspersons here on Thursday, late Gayatri Devi's son, Chaduranga Kantharaj Urs, said each princess, including the late Gayatri Devi, held 28 acres of land on the Bangalore Palace ground (140 acres of land in all) facing Ramana Maharishi Road (Bellary Road), as per an agreement with their brother (Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar). The agreement with regard to the royal family's property was entered into in 1984.

"The Bangalore Palace Acquisition Act was passed in 1996 and members of the royal family challenged the Act. The case is now in the Supreme Court. However, we met the Chief Minister and presented to him a proposal. We do not mind giving up part of the land, provided we are able to enjoy the property ourselves," he said.

Mr. Chaduranga Urs said that the princesses had proposed to opt for a joint development project with the Government to build a memorial for the late maharaja and a commercial complex, with an exhibition centre, "for the welfare of the public". He said the princesses and Gayatri Devi's legal heirs were prepared to part with 30 per cent of the 140 acres of land, if the Government promised to settle the issue amicably. He also said that they would withdraw their appeal in the Supreme Court to expedite the process for settlement.

Raja Chandra, husband of Ms. Indirakshi Devi, said the struggle to enjoy the rights over the property they own had been on for the past 10 years. "We had approached the S.M. Krishna Government but nothing came out of it. The Income Tax Department is asking us to pay tax and the court cases are going on at a slow pace. The income generated out of the land is less and we hope the Government looks into our proposal and helps in solving the problem," he said.

About the memorial and the commercial complex, Mr. Chandra said the details had to be worked out.

"We do not want the issue to be prolonged," said Ms. Kamakshi Devi.

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