Mumbai: The day-long hearing in the Bombay High Court failed to break the deadlock between the workers’ union and the management of the BEST undertaking on Friday. The ball is now in the union’s court as the high court has asked them to ‘take the first step’ to resolve the issue.The division bench of Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice Nitin Jamdar also asked the Maharashtra government to mediate and try to break the stalemate, even as the strike entered its fourth day on Friday.
The bench was hearing a petition filed by advocate Datta Mane, highlighting the plight of lakhs of commuters, stranded due to the strike. After the adjournment, in the afternoon session, Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni informed the judges of a three-member committee constituted to deal with the issue, under the chairmanship of state’s chief secretary Dinesh Kumar Jain.
Counsels appearing for the municipal corporation and BEST said they would like to resolve every issue, but it is possible only after the workers resume work. “Workers will have to cooperate with us and it is only then that we can come to a solution. They cannot continue to hold guns to our heads,” senior counsel Anil Sakhre, representing BMC, said.
The submissions were vehemently opposed by advocate Neeta Karnik, who appeared for the workers’ union. “We resorted to a strike after 98 per cent of our members voted for it. Our issues are genuine and that is why we have gained the support of all political parties. We too want to work, but there must be some assurance,” Karnik said.
Soon there was a war of words between Sakhre and Karnik as they could not decide who would hold a meeting first. Karnik insisted that Sakhre should hold a meeting of BEST management and other officials first, and only then would the workers’ union meet the mediation committee. To this, CJ Patil said, “There is a committee already constituted by the government, so it is now your responsibility to take the first step and put an end to this strike.”
“Mumbai has a reputation, you cannot hold the city to ransom in such a manner by not plying buses. Do not ignore the fact that lakhs of commuters are affected on a daily basis. You take the first step now. Call a meeting of all your members and take a decision to create a congenial environment and hold talks with the government,” CJ Patil said. The judges further asked the government to ensure that the mediation committee meets on Saturday morning after the union holds its meeting and takes a ‘positive decision.’ The matter is now posted for a further hearing on Monday.