India, May 10 -- The Bombay high court on Friday directed the state government to clarify its stand on granting heritage status to Savarkar Sadan, the erstwhile residence of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in Shivaji Park. The direction was issued while the division bench of justices AS Chandurkar and Dr Neela Gokhale was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by self-proclaimed public policy think tank Abhinav Bharat Congress.

The PIL, filed in view of the imminent razing of the building for a redevelopment project, seeks heritage status and "monument of national importance" tag for the building, alongside a special compensation policy for its inhabitants.

On Friday, Abhinav Bharat Congress representative Pankaj P...