After years of authorized battle, the controversy linked to Balvant Bhavan in Bhavnagar – as soon as the residence of former Gujarat chief minister Balvantrai Mehta – got here to an in depth final week. After his loss of life through the 1965 Pakistan struggle, the property was donated to a Delhi-based voluntary organisation by Mehta’s household. Questions had been, nonetheless, raised when the property was used for residential functions by the household of a lifeline member of the organisation after his loss of life, as an alternative of “welfare of individuals of Saurashtra”, as initially agreed. The property has now been returned to the organisation.
Hailed because the ‘architect of Panchayati Raj’ in India, Balvantrai Mehta died on September 19, 1965 through the Indo-Pak struggle. Mehta, who was the second chief minister of Gujarat, was travelling along with his spouse and some others on the fateful day in an plane that was shot down by the Pakistan Air Drive. Following his loss of life, his son – late Prabhakar Mehta – donated the Balvant Bhavan to Servants of the Individuals Society (SOPS) “for the welfare of the folks of Saurashtra” by way of a Registered Present Deed on December 17, 1969. The SOPS was based by freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai and Balvantrai Mehta had additionally labored as its president as soon as.
The Bhavnagar centre of the SOPS was headed by Prashanvadan Mehta; and after his loss of life, a lifetime member of SOPS, Kirti Pandya, was appointed because the accountable for the centre. As Kirti grew outdated, his grandson Harsh was allowed by the SOPS to assist him to run the centre as a social employee. In August 2020, Kirti died of outdated age and Harsh’s duties in that capability ended.
However Kirti’s son Dharmendra Pandya and Harsh reportedly continued to remain on the Balvant Bhavan with their household and the premise was mentioned for use for residential functions.
Among the members of the family of the previous chief minister then raised an objection earlier than the SOPS over the alleged violation of circumstances of the Present Deed for the reason that property was getting used for residential objective and no important social work was being finished from there. Later, Balvantrai’s daughter-in-law Rakshaben and his relations Bhaskarbhai Vyas and Nilaben Oza filed a civil go well with in a civil court docket of Bhavnagar.
By that point, nonetheless, the state authorities had enacted the Gujarat Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act in 2020 and the SOPS then determined to file a criticism beneath the legislation to get the property vacated. The civil go well with was withdrawn by Balvantrai’s members of the family and Pravas Acharya, President, SOPS, lodged a criticism beneath the Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act earlier than Bhavnagar District Collectorate.
Performing on the criticism, a committee of Bhavnagar Collectorate issued an order in August 2021 to Dharmendra Pandya and his household to vacate the property in 30 days, warning that an FIR could also be registered towards them. Dharmendra Pandya’s household then moved the Gujarat Excessive Courtroom.
The Excessive Courtroom, in response to a clutch of petitions, upheld the validity of the Gujarat Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act in a setback to Pandya and his household earlier this month.
Talking with The Indian Express, Nilaben Oza, who can also be former Vice Chancellor of Bhavnagar College and vice chairman of an area advisory committee of SOPS in Bhavnagar, mentioned, “Not too long ago, the Excessive Courtroom vacated the keep on Might 9 following which we pressed for the order of the Collectorate to register an FIR (towards the Pandyas). Following this, Dharmendra Pandya agreed to vacate the property and finally we took possession of the identical on Might 24 within the presence of police officers.”
She added, “Now that we’ve obtained possession of the property, our committee will resolve on additional social welfare actions to be carried out at Balvant Bhavan as per the circumstances of the Present Deed. The actions will likely be as per the modern wants.” Police inspector of Bhavnagar B Division Police Station A D Khant, inside whose jurisdiction Balvant Bhavan falls, mentioned that the possession of Balvant Bhavan was handed over to SOPS and members of the family of Balvantrai in a peaceable method on Might 24. When contacted, Dharmendra Pandya mentioned that he handed over the possession of Balvant Bhavan to SOPS within the presence of police officers. “I needed to problem the Excessive Courtroom order earlier than the Supreme Courtroom, however didn’t get time to take action. I vacated the property after which the criticism beneath Gujarat Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act was withdrawn. I’ve a home in Bhavnagar, nevertheless it has been given on lease. So, I’ve moved to a different rented home,” he added.