The Maharashtra Assembly today unanimously adopted a resolution demanding 12.5 acres of Indu Mill land in Mumbai for constructing a memorial of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar.
Mr Jitendra Awhad of NCP and others raised the issue when Speaker was about to take up an adjournment motion saying the House had suspended five members from ruling alliance yesterday for raising banners demanding the land for the memorial.
Mr Awhad was joined by members from the treasury benches, including Mr Chandrakant Handore and others, who shouted slogans and even raised their fists.
The Opposition benches though did not stand up but supported their demand. The Leader of Opposition, Mr Eknath Khadse, and others joined them. Sensing disruption, Speaker Dilip Walse Patil adjourned the House for 20 minutes followed by another adjournment for 30 minutes.
When the House resumed, the Chief Minister, Mr Prithviraj Chavan, moved a resolution demanding 12.5 acres of land from the Centre (National Textile Corporation) for a suitable memorial for the national hero on the mill land located in central Mumbai. It was passed by voice vote.
Court raps Govt
Expressing anguish over the recent encroachment of the India United Mills (Indu) in central Mumbai by followers of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, the Bombay High Court today rapped the Maharashtra government for its “failure to take action against the encroachers.”
“Don't you (government) think this action of forcibly taking over possession of government land has eroded the authority of the government? The government's failure to take action against the encroachers is disturbing,” a division bench of Justice D.K. Deshmukh and Justice A.V. Mohta remarked.
The court was hearing a petition filed by the National Textile Corporation (NTC) seeking directions to the Mumbai police and the State government to evict the encroachers from the mill land.
Comparing the incident to the Babri Masjid demolition, Justice Deshmukh said, “In 1993, we all saw what a mob did in Ayodhya. The country is still reeling under its effects. We are facing a similar situation now. The State government by its inaction is promoting such acts.”