Ashram resident detained for trying to protest despite denial of permission

“Chauhan had asked for permission to stage a protest outside the ashram, but was denied. Despite the denial, he was going to stage the protest. So, he was detained,” said Ranip police inspector Bharatsinh Gohil.

According to Chauhan, the authorities were looking to oust all the families from the Harijan niwas of the ashram. However, he said they were not going to leave their homes.

“They have offered us alternate places, money and other options, like to rehabilitate us about 50 metres away from our present residences to leave the premises and evacuate our homes, but we did not opt for any of these options and chose to stay here, which have been our homes for at least five generations,” Chauhan told The Indian Express.

He said he was detained with four others and all of them were released later by Friday evening. “I had written to the police commissioner on April 10 for the permission (to protest), but got to know the other day I won’t be given one. Even then, I went to the protest for 40 people residing in the Harijan niwas because they cannot remove us from our homes. They had already removed 15 families from the niwas before. They have already wiped off the Thakur niwas, now they are trying to remove us,” added Chauhan.