Government 'spineless', have textile mill vacated: Bombay HC

Censured by the Bombay High Court for being "spineless" and "ridiculous", the Maharashtra government on Thursday assured that it would try to amicably settle the issue of the recent encroachment of a textile mill in central Mumbai by followers of Babasaheb Ambedkar, failing which the squatters will be evicted.

"Government will make efforts to settle the issue and get the followers to vacate the mill premises voluntarily within a week. If the government does not succeed then the encroachers would be evicted forcibly within three days thereafter," additional government pleader GW Mattos told the court.

A division bench of justices DK Deshmukh and AV Mohta was hearing a petition filed by the National Textile Corporation (NTC) seeking directions to Mumbai police and state government to evict the encroachers who forced their way into the India United Mill compound on December 6 demanding an Ambedkar memorial there.

The statement was made after the court came down heavily on the government for its inaction against the encroachers. "We are in complete dismay over the stand adopted by the government. Why are you (government) supporting this blatant illegality? Government is spineless and has reduced itself to a ridiculous situation," Justice Deshmukh said.

The court's remark came when it was informed that the government has initiated dialogue with the activists from various factions and is negotiating the matter. "There is no question of negotiation. You should remove them by force. Would you have held negotiations with the terrorists who entered Taj hotel also? The mob has illegally entered a land which belongs to the government of India," the bench said.