While paving the way for the redevelopment of the historic Sabarmati Ashram the Gujarat High Court observed that the state government’s “avowed object” for the project was to “ensure that Gandhian values, ethos and principles are propagated” in an environment that meets international standards.
The court also observed that the redevelopment by the state would not only ensure that the historic ashram founded by Mahatma Gandhi gets more visitors, not just from within India but also from other countries.
The division bench of the court, led by Chief Justice Aravind Kumar, while rejecting the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Mahatma’s great grandson Tushar Gandhi, ruled that the Gujarat government wanted to “implement its vision for (the) comprehensive development” of the ashram, Gandhi memorial and its precincts “in all its earnestness.”
Although the high court passed the order on September 8, the copy of the ruling was only made available to the public on Wednesday.
The court, based on the submissions and undertaking by Gujarat’s advocate general, stated that the petitioner’s apprehensions about the “overhaul” of the ashram should be allayed as it wouldn’t be “disturbed or altered and/or changed.”
The Rs 1,200 crore redevelopment of Sabarmati Ashram attracted criticism from members of civil society, who had expressed apprehensions about turning the tranquil ashram—an embodiment of Mahatma Gandhi’s “frugal and simple living”—into a mere “tourist attraction”.
The high court order also underlined that none of the present trusts—who run the present-day ashram and other related organisations—opposed the plan, instead had given in-principle approval.
These trusts include Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust (which runs the ashram), Harijan Ashram Trust, Khadi Gramodyog Prayog Samiti, Sabarmati Ashram Gaushala Trust and Harijan Sevak Sangh.
Under the redevelopment project, properties of these six trusts that were functioning independently, would be merged as part of a bigger ashram that would be spread on 55 acres of land.
To implement the project, the state government constituted a new trust—the Mahatma Gandhi Sabarmati Ashram Memorial Trust (MGSAMT) —which had wider powers and whose members were dominated by government representatives.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer highlighted that existing trusts stood to lose their autonomy to MGSAMT. However, none of the existing trusts supported the petitioner.
The high court order noted: “The Government Resolution dated 15.06.2022 would indicate that Governing Council of MGSAMT came to be reconstituted whereunder representatives of respondent Nos. 3, 5 and 6 came to be appointed as Members of the Governing Council and thus, it has resulted in practically all the respondents having agreed for the commencement of the proposed project.”
The high court also said that none of these trusts opposed the redevelopment and gave their in-principle approval to the Gujarat government “to take the project forward so as to ensure Gandhian values would spread far and wide for the benefit of mankind.”