The Gandhi Hill, a monument built in city to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi, is in the throes of a prolonged stand-off between members of the Gandhi Hill Foundation and the Andhra Pradesh chapter of the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi (GSN) over its custody.
The deadlock has its origin in the undivided State when Andhra Pradesh Smarak Nidhi (then in Hyderabad) constituted a Gandhi Hill Society at the local level in Vijayawada for upkeep of the hill since it was not possible for it to supervise the day-to-day affairs from Hyderabad. This society was later converted into a trust and named Gandhi Hill Foundation which is now helmed by former BJP MP Gokaraju Gangaraju.
After bifurcation, office-bearers of the GSN, New Delhi, which owns the property, constituted a separate Smarak Nidhi for Andhra Pradesh, authorising it to set up its office at the Gandhi Hill and work for the development of the place. A meeting, presided over by the Central Gandhi Smarak Nidhi general secretary Ramachander Rahi, held on Gandhi Hill on September 23 in 2017, decided to dissolve the Gandhi Hill Foundation since a separate AP chapter of the GSN was in place now.
‘Independent body’
Mr. Gangaraju, said to be nursing a grouse against the Central Smarak Nidhi for denying funds to develop the hill, struck a discordant note, claiming that the Gandhi Hill Foundation was affiliated to the Smarak Nidhi in composite AP but after bifurcation, it became an independent body. “Gandhi Hill now has no connection with anybody as the Central Smarak Nidhi owns only four acres of land while the remaining land belongs to the government.”
He said the place was completely abandoned and reduced to gamblers’ den and used by unscrupulous elements for five years. “I spent money from my pocket to bring back life here,” he said. Mr. Gangaraju recently handed over the site to the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation for development, an act that has unsettled members of the AP GSN, who apprised the Central Smarak Nidhi office-bearers about it.
“Ever since the AP GSN was constituted, we have made many attempts to sort out the issue to pave the way for development of the place but in vain,” said Gandhi P.C. Kaza, Chairman of the State body. He said they were in touch with the Central body.
‘Not a personal property’
“Gandhi Hill is not a personal property. The Gandhi Hill Foundation was set up for the upkeep of the place. Mr. Gangaraju has been violating all the rules and by-laws of the Smarak Nidhi. He is unapproachable,” Sanjay Singha, general secretary of the Central GSN told The Hindu.
He said the Central body was trying to talk to the Collector and sort out the issue. “Our team from Delhi will be there soon to fix the ownership and custodianship issues once and for all,” he said.
Tourist hub
The Collector, when contacted, said his only concern was development of the hill. “Gandhi Hill has a rich heritage. The Mahatma made six visits to this city and this memorial commemorates that. We want this place to be developed as a tourist hub, which in turn, will also promote Gandhian values,” said Mr. Imtiaz.
