The executive in charge of the trust, Raviraj Joshi, has claimed that the trust has the legal possession of the disputed property. While alleging that the police refused to record the complaint of the trust, he has threatened to approach the State Government.

Jayrambuva Bhosale Maharaj has been training kirtankars and pravachankars at Siddhabet under the aegis of the Warkari Shikshan Sanstha for 50 years now. The land allotted to the trust was acquired by the State Government by exerting pressure and the construction by Bhosale Maharaj was demolished under heavy security. The wall constructed by the Tapovan Trust was demolished in the presence of Gulabrao Gawande and MLA Narayan Pawar as there was a public outcry, claimed Hazare during a telephonic conversation with The IndianExpress correspondent from Ralegan Siddhi.

Late spiritual leader Mamasaheb Deshpande Maharaj had formed the Shri Siddhabet Tapovan Dnyanyog Adhyatma Vidyapeeth Pratishthan in 1973. The land was allotted to the trust between 1980 and 1983 after it appealed to the Government. The aim was to cultivate ayurvedic herbs on the 13-acre plot, construct a memorial to Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj and set up a gurukul to spread spiritualism. The fencing wall was constructed to protect the land from floods as the plot was located on the banks of Indrayani river.

Bhosale Maharaj had claimed possession of the land at the time of acquisition and demanded six and a half gunthas of land. However, his claim was dismissed by the land acquisition officer, district court and the high court as he could not produce the evidence about his possession of the land, claimed Joshi.

Siddhabet has been historically significant as Sant Muktabai had composed the famous abhanga Tati ughada Dnyaneshwara there. The island isreferred to as ``the island of 84 siddhis''. The land surrounding the island was acquired by the State Government after pressuring the tillers who had possession under the provisions of the Land Ceiling Act.

Hazare said the Government's decision to allot the disputed property to the trust was improper. It should have been allotted to Bhosale Maharaj as he was running the Warkari Shikshan Sanstha from the land for several years. Instead, the prayer room with Vitthal Rakhumai idols was bulldozed. Hence, angry citizens were forced to demolish the wall, he added.