Ahmedabad, Apr 26 (PTI) The proposed Gandhi Ashram Memorial and Precinct Development Project will highlight the Gandhian ethos of "frugality and simplicity" while recreating the Ashram as it originally stood, the Gujarat government has told the High Court.

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The state government has submitted an affidavit in response to the PIL (Public Interest Litigation) filed by Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson and social worker Tushar Gandhi.

The government said the petitioner's contention that the proposed project will "change the physical structure of the ashram and corrupt its pristine simplicity and frugality that embodies the ideology of Gandhiji", is unfounded.

"The proposed project will not change the topography of the Gandhi Ashram but will recreate and revive the Gandhi Ashram as it originally stood while accentuating its frugality and simplicity coupled with its calm and tranquil atmosphere," as per the affidavit filed by the deputy secretary (tourism) KJ Jamaliya.

The matter came up for hearing in the high court on Tuesday.

The HC posted the matter for the next hearing on June 14 after Tushar Gandhi's lawyer sought time to respond.

The state government said the project was envisaged after it was felt that there was "an imminent need to maintain the philosophy, message and legacy of Gandhiji for the future generation, with the sole aim to promote his philosophy".

The government stated that unlike the claim made in the PIL, the National Gandhi Smarak Nidhi has no superintendence over the Gandhi Ashram or any other Trusts associated with it.

"The proposed project is on a large scale, whereby it seeks to engage all the stakeholders, to work in tandem to promote the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and the best interests of the Gandhi Ashram, which will ultimately contribute to the present and the future generations," it said.

The Gandhi Ashram outside the five-acre land is in no way a testament to the Gandhian ethos of frugality or simplicity. The five-acre campus will be expanded to 55 acres to include all the 48 original Ashram buildings, said the affidavit.

The project aims to bring together the Gandhi Ashram and surrounding areas which were over a period partitioned and entrusted to various trusts for different purposes.

The petitioner had sought the court's direction to allow the redevelopment work to be spearheaded by six trusts under the aegis of the 'National Gandhi Smarak Nidhi,' rather than the state and Central governments.

The petitioner said both the governing council and executive council -- constituted as per the government resolution dated March 5, 2021 -- comprise government functionaries without any representation from six trusts that were formed and own land of Ashram and precinct areas to carry out various activities.

The Supreme Court recently asked the Gujarat High Court to examine the plea by Tushar Gandhi challenging the state government's decision to redevelop the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. He had approached the Supreme Court after the high court disposed of the matter.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)