Supreme Court rejects plea by Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson against redevelopment of Sabarmati Ashram

The Supreme Court has rejected a plea by Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson, Tushar Gandhi, who had appealed against the redevelopment project of Sabarmati Ashram. Gandhi claimed in his plea that the redevelopment would “alter the topography of the century-old ashram”. 

A bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal said it was not inclined to interfere in the plea, noting the delay of over two years in filing the petition. 

"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," the plea submitted. The court stated that mere apprehension that the main area of the ashram would be affected cannot be grounds to challenge the order. 

The Gujarat High Court had disposed of Gandhi’s 2022 plea after the government said the main area of the ashram would not be affected. Advocate General Kamal Trivedi who had appeared for the Gujarat government had told the high court that the main ashram, spread over five acres, would not be touched during the redevelopment expected to cost Rs 1,200 crore.

Gandhi had filed a PIL seeking a direction that the redevelopment be carried out under the aegis of the 'National Gandhi Smarak Nidhi' (NGSN).

Sabarmati Ashram, also known as Gandhi Ashram, was established by Mahatma Gandhi in Ahmedabad in 1917.

(With PTI inputs)