Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson moves SC against redevelopment of Sabarmati Ashram, hearing next week
Mar 25, 2022
New Delhi [India], March 25 : Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson, Tushar Gandhi, has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Gujarat High Court's order refusing to interfere with the proposed redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana said it would hear the matter next week after senior advocate Indira Jaising mentioned the case for urgent hearing before it.
Jaising said the Gujarat Tourism Corporation is undertaking a project for the redevelopment of Sabarmati Ashram.
The bench then agreed to list the matter for hearing next week on the virtual hearing day as requested by Jaising.
"Okay, next week. Most probably next Friday," said CJI.
The Gujarat High Court had dismissed Gandhi's petition against the State government's decision to redevelop Sabarmati Ashram. Thereafter, Gandhi approached the top court against the High Court order.
Gujarat government had told the High Court that Sabarmati Ashram covers an area of 1 acre which would remain untouched, and the idea was to develop 55 acres of land surrounding the Ashram.
The High Court in its order had noted that the State government assured that it will "not touch" three key attractions in the one-acre area housing the main ashram.
Gandhi, however, stated that the significance of the land was not limited to the one-acre Ashram itself but covered the entire property on the banks of the Sabarmati.
The petitioner expressed fears that the redevelopment would change the physical structure of Sabarmati Ashram and corrupt its simplicity and frugality which embodied the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi, thus making it diametrically opposite to Gandhian principles.
He feared that the project would be turned into a commercial tourist attraction that would subsequently be pawned off to a private contractor to be run merely for profit.
The Rs 1,200 crore Gandhi Ashram Memorial and Precinct Development Project has been jointly undertaken by the State and the Central government for developing the Ashram, where Mahatma Gandhi lived from 1917 to 1930.
The project would be developed over an area of 55 acres from the existing five acres by bringing together heritage buildings and restoring the surroundings.
