New Delhi: Writers, activists, former high court judges, educationists, former civil servants and other eminent citizens have written a stern note of opposition to the Union government’s Rs 1,200-crore plan to refurbish the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad into a “world class” memorial.Among signatories are filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, historian Rajmohan Gandhi and Ramachandra Guha, activist Aruna Roy and Teesta Setalvad, retired high court judge Justice A.P. Shah, freedom fighter G.G. Parikh and writer Nayantara Sahgal.Decrying the spirit of the Gandhi Ashram Memorial and Precinct Development Project, the 131 signatories of a letter point out the historical simplicity of Mahatma Gandhi’s ashram. The plan proposes, among other things, the inclusion of an amphitheatre, food courts, a new museum (even though there is already one in place), a VIP lounge and shops.A child plays with a statue of Gandhi at Sabarmati Ashram. Photo: pee vee/Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)Gandhi’s home from 1917 to 1930, from where he led the Dandi March, is a monument of international significance, say the authors.Gandhi’s followers formed the Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust to protect the buildings and archival possessions of the Ashram after Independence, the letter says. Noting how the Trust looks after the buildings at the site, including Hriday Kunj – once the residence of Gandhi and his wife, Kasturba – the authors point out that the building alone draws thousands of visitors from across the world. These visitors are introduced to the “aesthetics, openness and sanctity” of the place without frisking or security checks. No armed persons are present at the site, note the authors.“The museum building designed in the early 1960s by Charles Correa reflects all the above-mentioned values and comes across as an integral part of the premises. Anyone passing by the adjoining road can drop in for a brief visit to Hriday Kunj or can have a glimpse of the museum as per convenience and available time,” the letter says.The concern over the erasure of an integral historical component of Gujarat bears similarity to the widespread criticism of the same government’s Central Vista project, that threatens to remove much of New Delhi’s iconic structures, along with its green cover.Against this backdrop, the government’s plan – to be executed under direct supervision of the Prime Minister and Gujarat chief minister – will come as a move to appropriate and commercialise the spirit of Gandhian institutions, the writers say.Former Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu with PM Narendra Modi at Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. Photo: MEAanthropology/Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)“The worst example of this [such a move] can be seen in Sevagram, but the most frightening aspect is government control over all Gandhian archives,” the letter says.The Sevagram Ashram project, in Maharashtra, required the felling of trees and significant reduction of green cover in the region. Three generations of the Gandhi family had written to Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to reconsider the project.The letter highlights as cause of concern the fact that Gandhi’s killer, Nathuram Godse, has been lauded by sections of the ruling dispensation. “As Mahatma Gandhi was murdered by elements whose ideology still inspires some of those in power in India, this danger cannot be overlooked,” it says.Also read: Pragya Thakur Calls Godse a ‘Deshbhakt’ Again, This Time in ParliamentNoting that the site has not required a dramatic makeover, and especially one that costs thousands of crore, the letter sets down the writers’ chief concerns in the following bullet points.The proposed plan severely compromises and trivializes the sanctity and importance of the present-day Ashram, mainly Hriday Kunj, surrounding buildings, and the museum.The simplicity of the Ashram will be completely lost in a Rs.1200 Crore project. Hriday Kunj, other historical buildings, and present museums, even if they remain untouched, will no longer be central but pushed into a corner by the new museum, amphitheater, food courts, shops, etc.Easy access to Hriday Kunj and the present Museum will be blocked as the road passing by it will be closed. The new entrance will have at least a VIP lounge and a new museum before Hriday Kunj and the current museum. Lakhs of Indians, specially school children, as well foreign visitors come to Sabarmati Ashram every year. The place has never needed a ‘world-class’ makeover to attract tourists. The charisma of Gandhi along with the authenticity and simplicity of the place has been enough. The proposed plan at best envisions a ‘Gandhi theme park’ and at worst ‘a second assassination’. In short, if the project going through, the most authentic monument of Gandhi and our freedom struggle will be lost forever to vanity and commercialization. The letter calls for the collective opposition to a government takeover of Gandhian institutions while at once advocating the use public money for “the proper maintenance and upkeep of such institutions, in consultation with eminent Gandhians, historians and archivists from India and around the world.”The full list of the signatories is below:Prakash Shah, Journalist, writer and editor NireekshakG N Devy, Writer, cultural activistAnand Patwardhan, Film-makerRam Punyani, Writer, activistRajmohan Gandhi, Historian, public intellectual G. G. Parikh, Veteran freedom-fighterNayantara Sahgal, WriterRamachandra Guha, Historian, public intellectualJustice AP Shah, Retired High Court JudgeRaosaheb Kasbe, Author, Gandhi-Ambedkar scholarDilip Simeon, Public intellectual, writerUttam Kamble, Author and activistAruna Roy, Former IAS, social activistShanta Sinha, Child rights activist Sanjoy Hazarika, Analyst, commentatorGulammohammed Sheikh, Artist, poetSandeep Pandey, Social activistKumar Ketkar, JournalistP. Sainath, Writer, public intellectual,Kavitha Lankesh, Film makerGitha Hariharan, Writer, activistT M Krishna, Musician, Cultural activistLaxminarayan Ramdas, Retd. Admiral, Indian NavyLalita Ramdas, Social activistMatheswaran, Retd. Air Marshal, IAFRajan Gavas, Writer, professorAtamjit Singh, PlaywrightC. Rammanohar Reddy, Editor, scholarVinay Lal, Historian, professorAshish Kothari, Environmentalist, activistMartin Macwan, Human Rights activistArun Rodrigues, Concerned citizenDamodar Maouzo, WriterNishikant Kolge, ScholarKapil Patil, Rights activistHarsh Mander, Retd. IAS, Peace activistDaniya Rehman, Concerned citizenM. A. Kalam, Anthropologist, education administratorDatta Naik, WriterMadan Meena, Indigenous activist, artistRajendra Chenny, Public intellectual, activistSachin Rao, Gandhan activistDakxin Bajrange, Theatre activist, film-makerSanjiv Shah, Filmmaker, architectApoorvanand, Public intellectual, activistAnil Sadgopal, EducationistSubhash Ware, Constitution-norms activistNitin Vaidya, Film makerSheba George, Concerned citizen Sunita Viswanath, Human Rights activistRahamath Tarikere, Public intellectual, scholarAshraf Ali Basheer Ali, Communal harmony activistNagal Samy, (Retd) Principal Accountant General of Tamil NaduTeesta Setalwad, Social activistShabnam Hashmi, Social activistPatricia Mukim, Rights activistUttambhai Parmar, Educationist Manishi Jani, Poet, activist Sheba Chacchi, Artist, photographerRanjit Rai, Historian, CommanderSati Taneja, Commander (Retired) India NavyLaxmi Krishnamoorthy, ActressPrimila Lewis, Journalist, writerGurveen Kaur, Gandhian scholarAchin Vanaik, Writer, peace activistDr. Hanif Lakdawala, Social activistUsha Naik, Concerned citizenSudhir Naik, Concerned citizenMaj Gen S G Vombatkere, VSM (Veteran)Maj Gen T K Kaul PVSM ,AVSM,VSM ( Veteran)Abha Bhaiya, Womens’rights activistNandini Oza, Writer, environmentalistRajendra Chenni, ProfessorRamesh Chand, Retired bankerD.B.Kapila, Vice Admiral (Retired)Maj Priyadarshi Chowdhury, SC (Retd)Gurmehar Kaur, Journalist & Video BloggerFaisal Khan, Khudai KhidmadgarYogendra Yadav, Social activistJaved Anand, Social activistAnuradha Bhasin, Senior journalistRavi Nitesh, Social activistKishore Mariwala, Social activistAnand Grover, LawyerJaya Iyer, ArtistAmberin Memon, Software professionalS.P. Ambrose , IAS (Retd.), Former Addl Secretary, Ministry of Shipping & Transport, GoIAnand Arni, RAS (Retd.), Former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, GoIMohinderpal Aulakh, IPS (Retd.), Former Director General of Police, Govt. of PunjabG. Balachandhran, IAS (Retd.), Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of West BengalGopalan Balagopal , IAS (Retd.), Former Special Secretary, Govt. of West BengalChandrashekhar Balakrishnan , IAS (Retd.), Former Secretary, Coal, GoIRana Banerji, RAS(Retd.), Former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, GoISharad Behar, IAS (Retd.), Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of Madhya PradeshAurobindo Behera, IAS (Retd.), Former Member, Board of Revenue, Govt. of OdishaSundar Burra, IAS (Retd.), Former Secretary, Govt. of MaharashtraRachel Chatterjee, IAS (Retd.), Former Special Chief Secretary, Govt. of Andhra PradeshGurjit Singh Cheema, IAS (Retd.), Former Financial Commissioner, Govt. of PunjabVibha Puri Das , IAS (Retd.), Former Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, GoIP.R. Dasgupta, IAS (Retd.), Former Chairman, Food Corporation of India, GoIKeshav Desiraju , IAS (Retd.), Former Health Secretary, GoIM.G. Devasahayam, IAS (Retd.), Former Secretary, Govt. of HaryanaMeena Gupta, IAS (Retd.), Former Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests, GoIRavi Vira Gupta , IAS (Retd.), Former Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of IndiaWajahat Habibullah , IAS (Retd.), Former Sec, GoI and Chief Information CommissionerSubodh Lal, IPoS(Resd), Former Deputy DG, Ministry of Communications, GoIP.M.S. Malik , IFS (Retd.), Former Ambassador to Myanmar & Special Sec, MEA, GoIL.L. Mehrotra, IFS (Retd.), Former Special Envoy to the Prime Minister and former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, GoIAditi Mehta, IAS (Retd.), Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of RajasthanSonalini Mirchandani , IFS (Resd.), GoIMalay Mishra, IFS (Retd.), Former Ambassador to HungaryDeb Mukharji , IFS (Retd.), Former High Commissioner to Bangladesh and former Ambassador to NepalShiv Shankar Mukherjee, IFS (Retd.), Former High Commissioner to the United KingdomGautam Mukhopadhaya, IFS (Retd.), Former Ambassador to MyanmarP.A. Nazareth , IFS (Retd.), Former Ambassador to Egypt and MexicoP.Joy Oommen, IAS (Retd.), Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of ChhattisgarhS.K. Pachauri, IAS (Retd.), Former Director General, National Productivity Council, GoIAmitabha Pande , IAS (Retd.), Former Secretary, Inter-State Council, GoIR. Poornalingam, IAS (Retd.), Former Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, GoIN.K. Raghupathy , IAS (Retd.), Former Chairman, Staff Selection Commission, GoIJulio Ribeiro , IPS (Retd.), Former Adviser to Governor of Punjab & former Ambassador to RomaniaA.K. Samanta, IPS (Retd.), Former Director General of Police (Intelligence), Govt. of West BengalG. Sankaran, IC&CES (Retd.), Former President, Customs, Excise and Gold (Control) Appellate TribunalA. Selvaraj , IRS (Retd.), Former Chief Commissioner, Income Tax, Chennai, GoIAshok Kumar Sharma, IFoS (Retd.), Former MD, State Forest Development Corporation, Govt. of GujaratAshok Kumar Sharma, IFS (Retd.), Former Ambassador to Finland and EstoniaNavrekha Sharma , IFS (Retd.), Former Ambassador to IndonesiaRaju Sharma , IAS (Retd.), Former Member, Board of Revenue, Govt. of Uttar PradeshK.S. Sidhu, IAS (Retd.), Former Principal Secretary, Govt. of MaharashtraA.K. Srivastava, IAS (Retd.), Former Administrative Member, Madhya Pradesh Administrative TribunalGeetha Thoopal, IRAS (Retd.), Former General Manager, Metro Railway, KolkataHindal Tyabji, IAS (Retd.), Former Chief Secretary rank, Govt. of Jammu & Kashmir
