Today, On 1st April, The Supreme Court dismissed a plea regarding the Sabarmati Ashram redevelopment, filed by Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson. A bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal pointed out the significant delay in approaching the court. The petition was submitted two-and-a-half years after the High Court’s decision, which the bench found unreasonable. This ruling reinforces the importance of timely legal action in judicial proceedings.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court rejected a plea from Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, challenging a Gujarat High Court order from September 2022 that allowed the state to proceed with a Rs.1,200 crore redevelopment project at the Sabarmati Ashram.
A bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal noted that the petition was filed two and a half years after the High Court’s decision.
Mr. Gandhi previously contended that the redevelopment contradicted his great-grandfather’s legacy, asserting that the project would “alter the topography” of the ashram and its surroundings and would require the demolition of approximately 200 adjacent buildings.
He also argued that the Gujarat government’s acquisition of the ashram for development purposes violated Article 39 of the Constitution, which aims to prevent the concentration of wealth, and Article 49, which stresses the protection of sites of national significance.
The petition stated,
“Mahatma Gandhi designed the ashram himself… embodying simplicity, self-sufficiency, and communal living. The ashram exemplifies Gandhian principles of sustainability and harmony with nature. The Sabarmati Ashram stands as a testament to the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and his pivotal role in India’s freedom struggle.”
The Gujarat High Court had previously dismissed these claims, with Mr. Gandhi arguing that the court’s order was issued “without consideration of the true facts and circumstances.”
The High Court had referenced assurances from the state government that the existing structures of the ashram would remain undisturbed, stating that, in its view, the redevelopment would promote Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals.
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The petition also expressed concern,
“At present, the dignity and sanctity of the ashram, which metaphorically signifies the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of our nation, is under direct threat from an alleged redevelopment project. The misuse of public money instead of any other humanitarian purposes, on the preface of development, is against Gandhi’s principles.”
The petition also points out that the current plan will displace resident Harijan families and overlook the Gandhian trusts that have historically managed the area. Furthermore, the redevelopment efforts are set to be overseen by a government-controlled body led by the Chief Minister and senior bureaucrats, which Gandhi’s great-grandson describes as an insidious attempt to seize control of the memorial.
The petition cites Gandhi’s own words from a 1933 letter to Ghanshyamdas Birla, in which he expressed his intention to transfer the ashram land to the Harijan Sevak Sangh.
The petition asserts that the current redevelopment plan will displace resident Harijan families and overlook the Gandhian trusts that have traditionally managed the ashram.
Additionally, the project aims to assign the redevelopment work to a government-controlled body led by the Chief Minister and senior bureaucrats. This arrangement effectively “constitutes an insidious attempt to take over the memorial by the government.”
Gandhi has also pointed out that over 100 historians, scholars, civil servants, and Gandhian thinkers publicly opposed the government’s plan in a joint letter in 2021.
Case Title : TUSHAR ARUN GANDHI VS. STATE OF GUJARAT, DIARY NO. – 12965/2025