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SC orders taking over of 500 acres of Chandra Shekhar's ashram

In a major blow to Chandra Shekhar's Bhondsi Ashram, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the Haryana government to take back the 500 acres of land that it gifted to the former prime minister, as it was being misused.

A bench comprising Justice M B Shah and Justice R P Sethi also asked the state government officials to file a compliance report by July 31.

Chandra Shekhar, after the conclusion of his padyatra from Kanyakumari to New Delhi in 1983, had set up a trust called Bharat Yatra Kendra with the objective of establishing charitable activities.

The village panchayat of Bhondsi had gifted away large tracts of land to the ashram, of which some of the gifts were approved by the Haryana government.

A petition filed by B L Wadhera alleged that the ashram was in illegal possession of hundreds of acres of land, including 500 acres of forest land, and had also encroached upon 10 acres of the Border Security Force.

Additional Solicitor General Kirit Raval pointed out to the court that a central team had found illegal the transfer of 500 acres of forest land to the ashram.

The court said it would consider the legality of the possession of other land lying with the trust after two weeks.

After filing of the petition by Wadhera, the ashram had on its own returned the 10 acres of land to BSF.

Wadhera also contended that "the boundary wall built by the trust around all 500 acres of the forest land under its illegal possession needs to be demolished".

"This would ensure easy access to the forest land by villagers for their normal activities of cattle grazing, lifting dry leaves and dry twigs from the ground for their hearth."

PTI

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