Administration set out to demolish Gandhi-JP’s legacy Sarvaseva Sangh, many Gandhian leaders in custody

After the Supreme Court rejected the petition of Sarva Seva Sangh Bhawan located at Rajghat in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, administrative action started from Saturday morning itself. To vacate the building, the force of several police stations along with the administration team reached Rajghat. Bulldozers and municipal vehicles also reached along with the police force. Administrative officials warned the residents of the building to vacate the premises and come out. After this, the workers started protesting against the administration. Expressed anger while protesting at the gate. On the other hand people are taking out their belongings from the houses. At the same time, despite all the protests, the police administration is standing on the spot. On the other hand, after getting information about the demolition of the building, a large number of Gandhians reached from Delhi.

According to social activist Dr. Sant Prakash, the Varanasi administration is forcefully evacuating the legacy of JP-Vinoba located at Rajghat, Varanasi without judicial process being completed with a large force and is intent on bulldozing this legacy. People and parties who believe in Gandhi-JP are appealed to come forward and save this heritage.

Here, as soon as the information about the demolition of Sarva Seva Sangh buildings was received, Delhi’s Prof. Rajkumar Jain, Prof. Ramashankar Singh, JNU Prof. Anand Kumar, Sunil, Abhay Krantiveer, Shubham Banwasi, Dhananjay, Mahendra Rathore, Arvind Singh etc. have reached the protest site. Protesting social leaders say that this government is intent on tarnishing the image of freedom heroes including Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru and destroying national heritage. This government has converted Jallianwala Bagh and Sabarmati Ashram into tourist places.

Leaders say that Sarva Seva Sangh established by Jai Prakash Narayan and Gandhi Ashram are also wanted to be demolished and a guest house built here. Efforts are being made to prove the Sarva Seva Sangh’s land edit fake by putting forward the railway and district administration. A petition has already been filed by the Survey Service Association in the Supreme, High Court and District Court regarding this matter. At present, after the order of the Supreme Court, it has been ensured that the case will be heard again in the District Court regarding the ownership rights of the land of the Sarva Seva Sangh.

The team arrived after the petition was rejected

In Varanasi, preparations are on to run bulldozers on the legacy of many great men including JP and Gandhi. The building associated with JP and Vinoba Bhave will now become history. The administration has taken a tough stand after the Union’s petition was rejected by Justice Hrishikesh Rai and Justice Pankaj Mittal in the Supreme Court. After the warning to vacate the premises, a warning has been given to take out the goods. Sangh workers started protesting sitting at the gate. Stopped the police from going inside. During this, the workers also had a scuffle with the police. He said that he would lie down before the bulldozer, but would not let the legacy of Gandhi and JP fall. After the information about the demolition, the politicians of many parties also left for the Sarva Seva Sangh Bhawan.

This is the history related to the building

Sarva Seva Sangh, the national organization of Gandhian thought, was established in March 1948 under the chairmanship of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India. Under the guidance of Vinoba Bhave, the foundation of Sarva Seva Sangh Bhavan was laid about 62 years ago. Its purpose was to propagate the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi. In the year 1960, efforts started to establish Gandhi Vidya Sansthan on this land. The first part of the building was built in 1961. Jai Prakash Narayan himself stayed here in 1962.

This is the dispute

In the ongoing dispute between the Sarva Seva Sangh and the Northern Railway on the ownership rights of the land, District Magistrate S. Rajalingam has given a decision in favor of the Railways after the hearing. Describing the construction of Sarva Seva Sangh as illegal, he has considered the land as the property of Northern Railway. The Northern Railway Administration fixed the date of June 30, 2023 for the demolition of the Sarva Seva Sangh building, but opposition to this decision started. The office bearers of the Sarva Seva Sangh filed a petition in the High Court against the administration’s decision, which the High Court rejected and termed it as inconsistent.