Villagers up in arms against sale of Anand land worth ₹114 cr to Rajkot Swaminarayan Gurukul for ₹38 cr

Villagers of Kahanvadi village in Anklav, Anand are up against the Gujarat government for allegedly allocating 237 bighas of land, valued at approximately ₹113.76 crore, to Rajkot Swaminarayan Gurukul at a significantly lower price of just ₹37.48 crore for educational purposes. 

Opposing the decision, the villagers have halted the payment of revenue and warned of protests if the allocation is not revoked. 

Dispute over land allocation  

The manager of Rajkot Swaminarayan Gurukul visited the Kahanvadi Gram Panchayat to pay the allocated land’s revenue. Villagers gathered and inquired about the matter following the manager's visit.

The manager presented a circular issued by the Anand district collector and the land survey department, stating that approximately 37x38x75 hectares (237 bighas) of government wasteland in Kahanvadi had been allocated for educational use.  

The government had assessed the land’s value at ₹37.48 crore, as mentioned in the circular. However,  according to the villagers, the value of the land is much higher. 

So, the villagers refused to accept the revenue payment. After heated arguments, the cheque for the payment was not accepted.  

During their inquiries, villagers found that the land was allocated to Rajkot Swaminarayan Gurukul without their consent, through a government circular. Villagers estimate that the actual market value of the land is around ₹350 crore, far higher than the price at which it was given away.  

Demand to revoke land allocation  

Villagers have temporarily halted the revenue payment and expressed strong opposition, stating that their prior consent was not taken. They argue that this land could be used for public housing. Additionally, since a railway line passes through the village, many small farmers have already lost their land, and no land has been allocated to locals for residential purposes.  

Villagers plan to submit a petition to the District Collector on Thursday demanding the revocation of the land allocation. They have also warned of protests if their demands are not met.  

According to local farmers, the government has sold 237 bighas of land at an estimated rate of ₹16 lakh per bigha. However, due to the industrial zone developing nearby, the market price of land in the same area is ₹40lakh-50 lakh per bigha. 

Based on this market value, the total worth of the 237 bighas would be around ₹113.76 crore. Villagers are outraged that the government has allocated such a valuable piece of land at an extremely low price, calling it an unfair and unjust decision.