New Delhi: Devraj Singh, the scion of the erstwhile royal family of Jaipur, is not averse to settling differences over management of Jai Mahal Palace out of court, but said he was merely defending his rights through the case before the Company Law Board.
"My uncle (Prithviraj Singh) has retained full management control of the Jai mahal Palace hotel following my father's death in 1997. Since then I have never been consulted with regard to any of the hotel's management affairs, despite the fact that I have a degree in Business Administration and Hospitality Management. My mother thinks we should defend our rights," Singh said in an interview from Bangkok.
While his grouse was that no share of the income or any benefit whatsoever from the hotel was paid to him despite his late father owning 99 per cent stake in the company, he said he was open to an out-of-court settlement.
"We will consider all the options," Singh, who was born to Maharaja Jagat Singh and Thai princess Priyanandana Rangsit, said when asked whether he was prepared to settle differences mutually.
He added he was also not averse to the property being leased (for 60 years) to the Taj Group, as that was done during his father's time, but "I am more concerned with the way it is administered by my uncle and his immediate family".
On his relations with his grand mother Gayatri Devi, with whom he spent much of 2003-04 in Jaipur, the scion said he shared a cordial relation with her until he slapped the case. But he maintained that she continued to be an inspiration for him with regard to her relationship with the people of Jaipur and her contribution toward social progress and education.
"It was only after I filed the case against my uncle (upon whom she is reliant) that our relationship has been strained," he said, adding that the queen mother's comments that her grandchildren were being misled by the present Maharaja of Jaipur Bhavani Singh was his "younger uncle's way of justifying the events rather than my grandmother's opinion".
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