SC rejects Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson's plea against Sabarmati Ashram revamp, cites delay in filing

The Supreme Court dismissed Tushar Gandhi’s plea against the ₹1,200-crore Sabarmati Ashram redevelopment, citing a 2.5-year delay. The Gujarat government assured that the original Ashram remains intact, while the revamp aims to globally promote Gandhian values.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition by Tushar Gandhi, great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, challenging the Gujarat government’s ambitious ₹1,200-crore redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. The court cited a delay of nearly 2.5 years in filing the plea as the reason for dismissal.

A bench comprising Justice MM Sundresh and Justice Rajesh Bindal upheld the Gujarat High Court’s September 2022 decision, which had already rejected Gandhi’s challenge. The High Court had noted that the state government had assured that the original ashram would remain intact and unchanged.

Gandhi, in his petition, argued that the project would drastically alter the historical site’s landscape, potentially demolishing or rebuilding nearly 200 structures. “The proposed project will corrupt the ethos of the century-old ashram and dilute its Gandhian legacy,” his plea stated.

However, the Gujarat High Court had earlier ruled in favor of the project, stating that the redevelopment would help preserve and promote Gandhian philosophy while providing a space for learning for future generations. The state government had also assured that over 40 historically significant buildings would be preserved.

With the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the plea, the redevelopment project now faces no major legal hurdles and is set to proceed as planned. The project aims to modernize and expand the Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram, enhancing its accessibility while maintaining its historical essence.