The petitioner has claimed that TCGL had issued tenders for appointment of agencies for the development of Nirant Ramji Temple and Bhathiji Maharaj Temple at Vadi village for Rs 4.35 cr and Rs 4.44 cr, respectively, from the state coffers
The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday sought a reply from the state government and Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited (TCGL) after public interest litigation (PIL) alleging misuse of public funds of around Rs 9 crore for construction of two temples in Vadi village of Surat came up for hearing.
The PIL, filed by Gujarat Adivasi Hit Rakshak Samiti, was taken up by the division bench of Acting Chief Justice AS Dave and Justice Biren Vaishnav which directed the authorities to file their reply in the matter by February 20.
The petitioner has claimed that TCGL had issued tenders for appointment of agencies for the development of Nirant Ramji Temple and Bhathiji Maharaj Temple at Vadi village for Rs 4.35 crore and Rs 4.44 crore, respectively, from the state coffers. The petitioner has alleged that TCGL is controlled by state tourism minister Ganpat Vasava, who hails from the same village and has allegedly misused his office to utilise the funds for religious purpose against the constitutional mandate.
The organisation has claimed that no amount from the Centre or state coffers can be utilised for religious purposes as per the Indian Constitution. It has also submitted that rather than developing infrastructure in the tribal area and rendering welfare services, the state government has plans to spend public money on religious activities. It has been also alleged that the authorities have not taken any prior permission from the gram sabha of Vadi village for the same.
According to the counsel for the organisation, Jagatsinh Vasava, the village where the two temples are proposed have a population of around 3,000 and the use of public funds for religious purposes amounts to gross misuse, which should be stooped by the court. The petitioner has cited Article 266 (3) and Article 282 of the Constitution to substantiate that public funds cannot be utilised by authorities for religious purposes.
The petitioner-association has also alleged that the motive of the state government is to create disunity among the secular society of the tribals and also amounts to the violation of the provisions of Panchayats Extensions to Scheduled Areas Act, 1996. The rules framed under the Act and implemented in 2017 provides that authorities need to take permission from the gram sabha for utilisation of government funds.
PETITIONER CLAIMS
The petitioner has claimed that TCGL had issued tenders for appointment of agencies for the development of Nirant Ramji Temple and Bhathiji Maharaj Temple at Vadi village for Rs 4.35 crore and Rs 4.44 crore, respectively, from the state coffers.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Ganpat Vasava")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}