Education Mogul Vallabh Savani embroiled in temple land controversy

Surat : Vallabhbhai Savani, the visionary founder of the prestigious PP Savani Group of Schools and PP Savani University, finds himself entangled in a swirling controversy as residents of Abrama, a village near Surat, accuse him and the priest of the Ambarikeshwar temple of orchestrating the sale of temple land under questionable circumstances.

Serious allegations have been raised, including the purported misleading of the Surat charity commissioner by claiming the temple’s structural instability as grounds for the sale.

The residents of Abrama have submitted a memorandum to the Surat district collector, alleging that the temple’s trustee, identified as Pujari Bhiren Vaidh, manipulated facts to secure the Surat Charity Commissioner’s permission for the sale of the temple property. They claim that Vaidh falsely represented the temples of Ambarikeshwar Mahadev and Amba Mata in Abrama village as structurally unsound, asserting that immediate repairs were imperative. Unable to bear the substantial expenses required for temple restoration, they sought permission to sell the land, which was subsequently purchased by Vallabhbhai Savani for the construction of a hostel for university students.

However, residents assert that their allegations are grounded in evidence. They contend that the temple underwent a renovation in 2019, complete with a “Jirnodhar” ceremony attended by the temple priest and his family. This contradicts the claims of structural weakness made to the Surat Charity Commissioner.

Cherish Patel, one of the five complainants said, “In the name of education, PP Savani and Vallabh Savani are minting money. There is no need to disturb the temple land with the construction of hostel for students”

In response, Vallabh Savani and the PP Savani Group have defended their actions, stating that the land acquisition was undertaken for the sole purpose of constructing a hostel facility for university students. They maintain that all necessary technical clearances were obtained from the State Government prior to the purchase.