Take steps to ensure people know about literature of Dr. BR Ambedkar, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule published by State: Bombay High Court

The Maharashtra government should take more proactive steps to ensure that citizens come to know about the literature published by the State government about Dr BR Ambedkar and social reformists like Shahu Maharaj and Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, the Bombay High Court recently observed. .A division bench of Justices Prasanna Varale and Kishore Sant noted that the government had done little to publish such literature and make citizens aware of the books that it has already published.Earlier readers used to visit book shops but now publishers have to come to the readers, the Court said calling on the State to market such literature better."Care is not taken that books are displayed properly. Where are the government publications available in Mumbai? In earlier days, readers would come to shop now publisher has to come to reader. The government should put more positive efforts, more concrete efforts as there are more readers they have to be invited and provoked (to read such books)," the Court observed.The judges further said that several such volumes which are being published by the government are not being made known to the public."There are volumes being published by the government which is not known to the public. The volumes being published are of social reformers. We are happy that State published books on Raja Shahu Maharaj and Mahatma Phule but no one knows about it. Why is State not considering that books which are published are known to people. People do not know about the shops," the bench said.The Court also asked for details about such works and whether all works have been published or not. "What is being published, we want to know that. What steps are being taken for content not published, whether there is damage to the copies and records, how are those being protected? We appreciate the efforts taken by the state but what we are asking is that whoever is waiting for the volumes need to get them expeditiously," the bench said..The bench was hearing a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) petition initiated against the decision of the Maharashtra government to halt its project of publishing the literature of Dr. Ambedkar. The Court expressed its dissatisfaction at the affidavit filed by State on the status of the issue.The judges, noted that the affidavit filed through government pleader Poornima Kantharia, did not mention the name of the members of the committee, constituted by the State for overseeing the work of publishing the literature."The State government is not giving any details. We want to know which ministry staff was assisted by the Committee. What are the arrangements being made for people coming from other parts of Maharashtra? We are not satisfied with the affidavit," the bench remarked.Therefore, the judges ordered the State to file a fresh affidavit within two weeks.