State govt affidavit in HC | Educational campus to be part of revamped Gandhi ashram

Denying the concerns, the government said that the project proposes to “create a dedicated educational campus befitting Gandhian ideologies…” that shall “not only house the Vidya Mandir School but many other similar educational buildings”. The educational institutions are now being run by the Harijan Ashram Trust.

The affidavit filed by deputy secretary, (tourism) industries and mines department, KJ Jamaliya, dated July 25, states, “The project has received an in-principle consent from Respondent no 5 Trust and pertinently, the trustee of the respondent no 5 — Harijan Ashram Trust, is the member of the Governing Council of the Mahatma Gandhi Sabarmati Ashram Memorial Trust.”

Jayesh Patel, a trustee of the Sabarmati Harijan Ashram Trust (SHAT), is one of the members of the governing council of MGSAMT. He is also son-in-law of Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel who was former Gujarat chief minister.

In its affidavit, SHAT said that it “in-principle” agrees with the proposed project of Gandhi Ashram Memorial and Precinct Development. “A collective conscious action with MGSAMT is a welcome step”. It is expected from state that the active role and participation of the SHAT is required in the proposed project of MGSAMT.

Under the aegis of SHAT, three educational institutions run on the premises — Ashram Vinay Mandir School (residential high school for village girls), Stree Adhyapan Mandir, a girls college, and Mahatma Gandhi Primary School, which was earlier the Harijan Kanya Vidyalay run by SHAT and is managed by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) since 1960.

The affidavit states that the presence of government authorities in the project “is to ensure that the proposed project is overseen by functionaries in positions of responsibilities in different departments, who can contribute best expertise for proper and judicious utilisation of resources”.

As per the state government affidavit before the Gujarat High Court, the state had taken up the project when , “comprehensive restoration so far not taken place at the behest of any of the respondent trusts (original five trusts).

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“To efficiently carry out a project at this scale”, the Ministry of Finance of the Government of India in a notification dated July 1, 2021, approved Rs 1,246 crore for the state government under the head of “special assistance”, as per the state government affidavit.

In its affidavit, SHAT stated that on December 25, 2019, “Trustees of SHAT along with other Gandhi ashram trusts were presented with the Gandhi Ashram Restoration and Augmentation Project by the (state). SHAT hereby provides its in-principle consent along with certain suggestions towards the MGSAMT project.”