Haryana assembly passes Bill to take over Aparna Ashram
Haryana assembly passed the Aparna Institution Bill, 2025, amid opposition concerns over legal validity, to manage Dhirendra Brahmchari's ashram.
Amid Opposition’s concerns of over its legal tenability, the Haryana assembly on Friday passed the Aparna Institution (taking over of management and control) Bill, 2025 to take over the management and control of deceased Yoga guru, Dhirendra Brahmchari’s Aparna Ashram Society in Gurugram and its assets.
The passage of the Bill in the House was less than smooth with Congress MLAs led by Rohtak legislator, Bharat Bhushan Batra, seeking answers on the legal sustainability of the proposed legislation.
The Congress MLAs staged a walkout after their demand for a division of votes on the Bill was ignored.
Batra, the prime intervener, said that the presentation of this Bill in the state assembly was illegal and a fraud on the Constitution. He sought to know the from the industries minister Rao Narbir Singh the provisions of the Constitution under which the government brought this Bill in the state legislature.
The minister fumbled to respond initially and instead read out Section 5 of the Bill empowering the government to appoint an administrator.
The Congress MLA however reiterated that he wanted to know whether the subject matter of the Bill was in the Union, State or Concurrent list of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.
Later, Rao Narbir Singh clarified that the Bill has been presented under Article 31-A (saving of laws providing for acquisition of estates, etc) of the Constitution.
Batra maintained that House will get blamed by the people of the state for allowing the passage of such a Bill which is beyond the jurisdiction of the government. “It will invite allegations,” he said.
However, the industries minister clarified that the Bill has been introduced only for taking over the management and control of the Society. “The government will not take over its ownership,” Singh said.
The minister further said that multiple disputes were on between the members of the Society over 24 acres and 16 kanals in Gurugram. The government does not want this high valued land which would be priced at about ₹100 crore per acre to fall into wrong hands, the minister said.
The Congress MLA said the since the Aparna Society is registered in Delhi, the Haryana government lacked jurisdiction to take its control. “We must ensure that whatever we do should be legally tenable,” Batra said.
Congress MLA from Thanesar Ashok Arora said the government should assure that this high value land will not be transferred to anyone. The industries minister than assured the House that the government will not transfer this land to any entity.
Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that it was a serious issue. “We are not satisfied with the reply of the government. The government should take over the land under Section 145 of the CrPC. Why does the government not attach this land. There is no need to bring legislation. The government has the power to attach the land,” Hooda said.
As the Speaker carried out the procedure to pass the Bill, there was uproar from the opposition benches.
Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini told the House that though the charitable trust is registered in Delhi but this land is in Haryana. “Dhirendra Shastri (sic) (Brahmchari) wanted to set up a Yoga ashram and start medical services. This land is being eyed by some people. We are only trying to protect this land. This charitable trust has taken financial aid from central government from time to time. Any trust where the government is involved can be taken over by the government,” Saini said.
Speaking on the legal justification to bring the Bill, the chief minister said that under entry 28 of the concurrent list and entry 1 of the state list of the Constitution, the state government is competent to make law on this matter. Saini also quoted Section 30 (2) of the Societies Registration Act to say that the state government can appoint an administrator of a Society.