Gujarat HC orders demolition of Asaram Bapu ashram for sports complex

The Gujarat High Court on Thursday cleared the way for the state to reclaim 45,000 sq metre of government land occupied by Sant Shri Asaram Ashram near Motera’s Narendra Modi Stadium, enabling construction of the Sardar Patel Sports Enclave, Olympic Village, and other facilities across nearly 650 acres.

The court dismissed the ashram’s petition after government pleaders G H Virk and S H Virk argued that a survey revealed unauthorized constructions on land allotted decades ago for religious use only. They rejected the ashram’s claim of sudden action by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), noting notices followed a “fair and patient” process. The AMC had earlier rejected the ashram’s applications to regularize 30 illegal structures worth an estimated Rs 500 crore, stating that incremental encroachments cannot be legitimized.

The state has also targeted nearby encroachments at Bharatiya Seva Samaj and Sadashiv Pragya Mandal Ashram. The irregularities surfaced during planning for Ahmedabad’s bid to host the 2036 Olympics and preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Justice V D Nanavati granted the ashram two weeks to vacate, matching the AMC’s eviction notice timeline, with a detailed order awaited.

The ruling follows the court’s November decision suspending Asaram Bapu’s rape sentence for six months on medical grounds, granting conditional bail after his Rajasthan HC counterpart did the same. Asaram, admitted to Arogyam Hospital for heart issues, faced modified bail terms in December: three police officials nearby, no group meetings with followers, and no public addresses.