The retreat of the so-called godman Computer Baba, an “encroachment”, has been demolished in the Indore region of Madhya Pradesh.
Bhopal:
In Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, local authorities demolished the religious retreat, or ashram, of the so-called godman “Computer Baba”, claiming it was an encroachment on village land. Six people, including the godman, were also arrested.
The demolition comes days after the end of the vote in Madhya Pradesh bypass, in which Namdeo Das Tyagi, popularly known as Computer Baba, had campaigned for Congress.
Officials claimed Mr. Tyagi’s ashram encroached on nearly 46 acres of land, worth around Rs 80 crore.
A team from Indore Municipal Corporation and the district administration cleared the land two months after Mr. Tyagi received notices.
The land would now be used to develop a cow shelter and local authorities would also create an action plan to develop the land as a religious center, officials said.
According to another magistrate of Ajay Deo Sharma district, this land in the village of Indore Jamorhi
was demarcated for a cow shelter in 2016. “Over the years, as you can see, this land has been taken over by the so-called godman, who developed it as a complete retreat with air conditioners,” said he said, adding that the action was taken after the collector’s order.
“Some people have complained about the encroachment. We issued notices but it did not remove the encroachment, so we came here today with a police team and machines to remove these structures,” he said. Mr Sharma added.
Last year, when the congressional-led state government was in power, the godman brought together two BJP lawmakers to vote for a bill that was part of the ruling party’s pre-election pledge.
“Four legislators (of the BJP) are in contact with me … When Chief Minister Kamal Nath tells me, I will introduce them first,” he said.
