On 27 February 2025, residents of Kahanwadi village of Ankalav taluka protested against the Gujarat government's move to sell 237 bighas (94.79 acres) of land to Rajkot Swaminarayan Gurukul for educational purposes at Rs 37.48 crore. The villagers claimed that the Panchayat was not consulted before taking the decision.
The issue surfaced when a manager from Rajkot’s Swaminarayan Gurukul arrived at the Kahanwadi Gram Panchayat to submit the revenue payment for the allocated land. Upon investigation, villagers discovered that the land transfer had been sanctioned through a circular issued by the Anand District Collector. The circular confirmed that approximately 237 bighas of government waste land had been transferred for educational purposes without seeking local consent.
Villagers argue that the estimated market price of the land is around Rs 114 crore, significantly higher than the government’s valuation. They assert that the land should have been reserved for housing and public welfare projects, especially given the ongoing land shortages caused by railway expansion in the area. Farmers claim that while the government valued the land at Rs 16 lakh per bigha, its actual market price, particularly with a nearby industrial zone under development, ranges between Rs 40-50 lakh per bigha. Residents allege that the land has been practically given away "at the price of water," raising concerns over transparency and fairness in government land allocations.
On 27 February 2025, the villagers marched to the office of Anand District Collector Praveen Chaudhary and handed over a memorandum, demanding “immediate withdrawal” of the land allocation to the religious sect. The villagers vowed to intensify their protest, if their demand remain unmet.
In a show of resistance, villagers have decided to lock the Gram Panchayat office and prevent any representatives from Rajkot Gurukul from entering Kahanwadi village until the revenue payment period is over. On 26 February, more than 500 villagers gathered at the Panchayat office, alleging that the land was allocated on the recommendation of Anand BJP MP Mitesh Patel.
A letter from MP Mitesh Patel to the Chief Minister of Gujarat, dated 26 May 2023, has come to light. The letter, written on Patel’s official letterhead, shows that he recommended the land allotment following a request from the Swami of Rajkot Swaminarayan Gurukul. This revelation, first reported by the Gujarat Samachar, intensified suspicions over the political influence behind the allocation.
Former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankarsinh Vaghela has weighed in on the controversy, stating that as per regulations, land cannot be transferred without Panchayat approval, a requirement that appears to have been ignored in this case. Anklav MLA and Gujarat Assembly Congress leader Amit Chavda also echoed these concerns, stating that villagers have accused BJP MP Mitesh Patel of involvement and that the issue will be raised in the state assembly.
The villagers remain resolute in their demand for the land allocation to be revoked, arguing that public land should be utilised for broader community benefits rather than being granted at a reduced rate to a private institution. As tensions escalate, all eyes are on the district administration and state government’s response to this growing protest.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand to cancel the project
Demand to retain/protect access to common land/resources
Demand for more compensation than promised
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Region Classification
Rural
Type of Land
Common
Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Original Project Deadline
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Government or community-regulated urban commons
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
37.48
Type of investment:
Year of Estimation
2025
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Legislations/Policies Involved
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Lack of legal protection over land rights
Violation of free prior informed consent
Incorrect estimation of compensation
Legal Status:
Out of Court
Status of Case In Court
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Case Number
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Reported Details of the Violation:
Date of Violation
Location of Violation
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
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