Veteran socialists condemned the repeal of the Urban Land Ceiling (Regulation) Act (Ulcra) as a “sell out” to the rich and famous, and decided to challenge it in the court. Senior Janata Dal (S) leaders Mrinal Gore and PB Samant said the annulment of the Act as a conspiracy to “drive out” of Mumbai the middle and working classes.

A public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Samant against the scrapping of the Ulcra is already pending in the Bombay High Court and is likely to come up for hearing in December. The fate of Ulcra may be sealed but the question being debated is the failure of the government to acquire 30,000 acres of surplus land under the Act for 31 years.

Samant told DNA, “On August 16, 2006, we had filed a PIL against government for failure to implement Ulcra which was aimed at serving the housing problems of the middle class and the poor living in Mumbai. When the matter comes up before the court, the government will have to do a lot of explaining to do.”

In its affidavit, the government had given an assurance to the court that it would acquire 17,000 acres of surplus land under the Act within two years. The JD(S) leaders said that the inordinate delay in starting the land acquisition process and 10 per cent residential flats under the Act for needy allowed majority of them to get away with gross violation of the Act.

Gore said, “We will take our agitation to the streets.” Senior BJP MLA Devendra Fadnavis said, “The moment government started the process, the major landholders in Mumbai got a stay from the courts. Majority of the those who suffered were farmers outside Mumbai with more than 500 sq m land in their possession.”