SC dismisses petition by Gandhi’s great-grandson against Gujarat govt’s plan to redevelop Sabarmati Ashram

Tushar had challenged the Gujarat government’s March 5, 2021, resolution regarding the proposed redevelopment of the ashram before the Gujarat High Court.

The high court initially disposed of the plea after the state government assured it that the core area of the ashram would not be touched and that only the area surrounding it would be developed. Tushar then approached the Supreme Court.

In April 2022, the Supreme Court set aside the high court order and asked the court to reconsider the plea after seeking a comprehensive reply from the state government.

On September 8, 2022, the high court dismissed the plea with the observation that “the proposed project would not only promote the ideas and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi which would be for the benefit of society and mankind at large.”

Challenging this, Tushar Gandhi contended before the Supreme Court, “The proposed project will alter the topography of the century-old ashram to the tune of Rs 1,200 crore and corrupt its ethos. The project has purportedly identified over 40 congruent buildings which will be preserved while the rest of them, roughly 200, will be destroyed or rebuilt.”