Gujarat High Court Clears Path for Demolition of Asaram Bapu's Ahmedabad Ashram
In a significant development, the Gujarat High Court has granted permission to the state government to reclaim approximately 45,000 square meters of government land currently occupied by Sant Shri Asharam Ashram near the Motera Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad. This decision paves the way for the demolition of the ashram to make room for a proposed state-of-the-art sports complex.
Court Dismisses Ashram's Petition Against Eviction
The high court dismissed a petition filed by the ashram seeking relief in the matter after considering submissions from Government Pleaders G H Virk and S H Virk. The government representatives argued that a survey revealed the land, originally allotted decades ago for religious use, had been utilized for unauthorized construction in violation of the allotment conditions.
Government Pleader G H Virk emphasized that the action initiated by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) was not sudden but followed a fair and patient process. The AMC had previously rejected the ashram's pleas to regularize the construction, with the state asserting that an attempt to encroach on public land, inch by inch and then seek regularization cannot be accepted.
Irregularities Detected During Olympic Village Planning
According to case facts, the state government had allotted about 33,980 square meters of land to Asharam Ashram in Motera several decades ago. However, irregularities were detected during a survey conducted as part of planning for a proposed Olympic village spanning over 650 acres. This development aligns with Ahmedabad's bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games and preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
The AMC had earlier this year rejected Impact Fee applications from the ashram to regularize 30 illegal constructions on the land, estimated to be worth approximately Rs 500 crore.
Two-Week Eviction Notice Granted
Justice V D Nanavati granted two weeks' time for the ashram to vacate the land, based on a request from the ashram's advocate. The state assured the high court that the eviction notice to be served by the AMC would provide this two-week period. A detailed order in the case is currently awaited.
Broader Context: Sports Development and Other Encroachments
The land adjoining the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera is proposed to host the Sardar Patel Sports Enclave, Olympic Village, and other sports facilities across nearly 650 acres. The state government has also issued notices to several other alleged encroachments in the vicinity, including Bharatiya Seva Samaj and Sadashiv Pragya Mandal Ashram.
Connection to Asaram Bapu's Legal Status
This decision comes approximately two months after the Gujarat High Court, in November, suspended Asaram Bapu's sentence in a rape case for six months on medical grounds and granted him conditional bail. This suspension also considered an October 29 judgment from the Rajasthan High Court that similarly suspended his sentence in a separate case.
As per submissions recorded in the court order, Asaram Bapu had been admitted to Arogyam Hospital for heart ailments when he applied for bail and sentence suspension in both high courts. In December, the Gujarat HC modified bail conditions, removing the requirement for three police officials to be in his vicinity during the six-month suspension, while maintaining other restrictions such as not meeting followers in groups or delivering public addresses.
