Updated on Thursday, July 02, 2009, 23:54 IST

Ahmedabad, July 02: An 'ashram' run by religious preacher Asharam Bapu has encroached upon 67,099 sqr metre of government land in Ahmedabad, Gujarat government informed the state assembly on Thursday.

In a written reply to a question asked by Congress MLA Kuvarji Halpati, the state revenue department said that they have identified the area encroached by the ashram. The authorities have issued a notice and are in the process of getting the land vacated.

The opposition members, however, alleged that the government was lenient to the ashram authorities.

Congress leader Arjun Modhvadia had alleged in the House yesterday that the government authorities buldozed slums in the cities, but the land "encroached" by the Asaram Ashram was not being touched.

Bureau Report