The Bombay High Court has expressed profound “shock” and “disturbing” concern over the 2016 demolition of the historic Buddha Bhushan printing press in Dadar, a landmark established by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The court specifically pulled up the Mumbai Police for failing to intervene despite urgent complaints and questioned the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on the rare practice of carrying out demolitions in the middle of the night.
A bench comprising Justices A.S. Gadkari and Kamal Khata issued the order on April 30, following a cluster of petitions including one filed by Prakash Ambedkar, leader of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and grandson of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The petitions challenge the legality of the June 2016 demolition of the structure located in central Mumbai.
The Buddha Bhushan printing press carries significant historical weight. According to the pleas, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar purchased two plots of land in Dadar with his own funds in 1930. In 1945, he established a trust on one plot and constructed the printing press. The adjacent plot housed the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Bhawan and the Yashodhara Sanganak Kendra.
The petitioners allege that internal disputes among the trustees led to a “false structural audit report.” Six trustees are accused of instigating the BMC to issue a notice declaring the building dilapidated. In June 2016, these trustees allegedly arrived with a mob of over 400 people to raze the structure.
The plea further details a desperate attempt by Anand Ambedkar (Prakash’s brother) to seek help from the Bhoiwada police station as the demolition began. However, the police allegedly refused to act, leading to the destruction of the building, original documents in Dr. Ambedkar’s handwriting, historic printing machinery, and the “Panchshil Flag.”
The High Court took strong exception to an affidavit submitted by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, which dismissed the allegations as “vague and baseless.”
“It is deeply disturbing to read such a thoughtless affidavit. We are constrained to express our shock at the audacity and the manner in which the police responded to the complaints,” the bench observed.
The court noted that there was “evident inaction” on the part of the police, who failed to halt what appeared to be an illegal process. Furthermore, the bench highlighted the unusual timing of the event, stating, “It is rare, if not unprecedented, for the BMC or any authority to carry out demolition between 12 am and 7 am.”
The High Court has now directed the Mumbai Police Commissioner to file a personal affidavit addressing the issue and to disclose the names of all officers on duty at the Bhoiwada police station during the night of the incident.
Additionally, the BMC Commissioner has been impleaded in the case. The Commissioner must file an affidavit clarifying:
- Whether formal permission for the demolition was granted.
- Whether post-midnight demolitions are a standard practice in Mumbai or if this was an isolated case.
The matter is scheduled for a further hearing on June 15.
