Ahmedabad: The Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust, the key body that manages the Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad, has asserted that it will not allow any attempt from the central or Gujarat government to disrupt the “frugality, simplicity and ethos” of the historic pivot of the country’s freedom struggle.
Responding to the recent angry protests and countrywide concerns over the BJP Government’s claims of “creating a world-class” ambience at the Sabarmati Ashram that the critics call an attempt at subverting history, octogenarian Chairperson of the Ashram Trust Elaben Bhatt asserted, “We (the trustees and stakeholders) will not let this happen.”
Bhatt, 88, told Free Press Journal, “We have told the authorities in clear terms that the autonomy, simplicity, frugality, ethos and sanctity of the Ashram should be preserved and maintained as is.” She says the Trust is in constant touch with the authorities and “we have been assured that the place would be protected.”
Besides this, Elaben says, “One thing we have conveyed right away is that we don’t want any arms-wielding security personnel on the campus, which would be ironic at the Gandhi Ashram.”
In a statement earlier in the week, all the members of the Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust had stated what Bhatt insisted speaking to the Free Press Journal. Among other things, the press statement reads: “The Ashram should always remain a message to the world which reminds all of us of Gandhiji’s call for attention to the last person, his ideas of simplicity, economy and frugality in all matters and in his respect for nature and for each one of our fellow human beings.”
Significantly, the statement goes on to add for good measure that, “Our understanding is that these values are fully shared by all the stakeholders, including the authorities, with whom we as trustees are in touch.”
They stated, “The trustees are committed to ensuring that the ethos and values which this space has communicated to the world for all these years is to be protected and enhanced.”
