Asaram Bapu’s Ahmedabad Ashram to be demolished: Gujarat HC allows state to reclaim 45,000 sq metre government land
The land adjoining Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera is proposed to have Sardar Patel Sports Enclave, Olympic Village, and other sports facilities coming up on nearly 650 acres of land.
The decision comes about two months after the Gujarat HC in November suspended Asaram Bapu’s sentence in a rape case for a period of six months on medical grounds. (File Photo)
Paving the way for the Gujarat state government to build a proposed state-of-the-art sports complex, the Gujarat High Court Thursday passed an order permitting the state to take back the 45,000 sq metre government land where the Sant Shri Asharam Ashram stands near the Motera Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The high court dismissed a petition filed by the Ashram seeking relief in the matter after considering submissions of Government pleaders G H Virk and S H Virk that a survey found that the land, which was allotted to the Ashram decades ago for “religious use”, was used for unauthorised construction in violation of the conditions attached to the allotment. The Government Pleaders also contested the claim of the Ashram petition that the action initiated by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) was sudden.
Government Pleader G H Virk, in his submissions, told the court that the notices issued by the AMC were a result of “a fair and patient” process. The AMC had rejected the pleas by the Ashram to regularise the construction, and regarding this, the state submitted that “an attempt to encroach on public land, inch by inch and then seek regularisation cannot be accepted.” The AMC had, earlier this year, rejected the Impact Fee applications of the Ashram to regularise 30 illegal constructions on the land, estimated to be worth Rs 500 crore.
The land adjoining Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera is proposed to have Sardar Patel Sports Enclave, Olympic Village, and other sports facilities coming up on nearly 650 acres of land.
The state government has issued notices to several other ‘encroachments’ in the vicinity of Asharam Ashram, Bharatiya Seva Samaj and Sadashiv Pragya Mandal Ashram. As per the facts of the case, the state government had allotted about 33,980 sq metre of land to the Asharam Ashram in Motera, several decades ago. However, during a survey conducted as part of planning to build a proposed Olympic village in an area of over 650 acres, as the city is bidding to host the 2036 Olympic Games, the irregularities were detected. Ahmedabad is also set to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games for which preparations are already underway.
Justice V D Nanavati Thursday granted two weeks’ time to the Ashram to vacate the land, based on the request of the advocate appearing for the Ashram. To this, the state assured the high court that the notice for eviction to be served by the AMC will grant two weeks to the Ashram.
A detailed order in the case is awaited.
Suspension of Asaram Bapu’s sentence
The decision comes about two months after the Gujarat HC in November suspended Asaram Bapu’s sentence in a rape case for a period of six months on medical grounds and granted him conditional bail, also considering the October 29 judgment of the Rajasthan High Court, which had similarly suspended the sentence in a case in Rajasthan.
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As per the submissions made before the Gujarat HC by Asaram Bapu’s counsel, which have been recorded in the court order, Asaram Bapu had been admitted to the Arogyam Hospital for his heart ailment when he applied for bail and suspension of sentence in both the Rajasthan HC and the Gujarat HC.
In December last year, the Gujarat HC modified the bail conditions of having three police officials in the vicinity of self-styled spiritual leader Asaram Bapu during the six-month suspension of sentence and stated that the other bail conditions – of not meeting followers in groups or gatherings and delivering public addresses – would continue to prevail.
Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues.
Expertise:
Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including:
Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground.
Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure.
Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case).
Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions.
Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More
