Notice to Asaram’s Navsari ashram for encroachment

GANDHINAGAR - The Gujarat government Thursday issued notice to the Asaram Bapu Ashram in Navsari district in the southern part of the state to immediately vacate the land it had encroached upon in and around the ashram, officials said.

According to official sources, the Asaram Ashram was allocated about 10 acres of land by the state government over a decade ago, but the ashram had encroached upon nearly another 18,000 square metres of land around the ashram.

The Navsari district collector’s notice gives the ashram three days to vacate the encroached land after which the government will move in to take charge of the land, the notice said.

The Gujarat government has been scrutinizing the land holdings of the Asaram Ashram in various parts of the state.

After the notice served to the Asaram Ashram in Ahmedabad directing it to vacate the encroached government land, Asaran’s son Narayan Sai was among those served notice for a similar encroachment in Himmatnagar taluka of Banaskantha district in north Gujarat Tuesday.

The notice issued by Himmatnagar official B.S. Prajapati had asked 15 people including Narayan Sai to vacate over 70 hectares of land allegedly usurped by them in three villages of the taluka - Pedhmala, Gambhoi and Rajpur.

The notice came after complaints from villagers whereupon an enquiry was conducted.

“We have served a notice asking all of them to hand over possession within a week failing which it will be vacated at their cost,” Prajapati said.

The alleged encroachers had already been served a notice eight months ago after their sale-deeds were questioned by the authorities since there is a restriction on the purchase of agricultural land by non-agriculturists.

The Surat ashram is also under a cloud following a high court verdict pertaining to encroachment with the state government also in the dock for validating it.

The Asaram religious establishment has been under a cloud ever since two students studying in their residential school in Ahmedabad died under mysterious circumstances last year.

A judicial enquiry is probing the deaths and the circumstances surrounding it. A former disciple who had deposed before the commission making serious charges also faced an attempt on his life leading to an FIR naming Asaram himself.