"Even God will not be able to save this country," a fuming Supreme Court on Tuesday said while slamming the government for its refusal to amend the law for launching criminal prosecution against those who illegally occupy official houses.
"We are fed up with this government," the apex court said, adding, "They don't have the guts to differ with the opinion of the clerks."
"Even God will not be able to save this country. In India even if God comes down, he cannot change our country. Our country's character has gone. We are helpless," a bench of Justices B N Aggrawal and G S Singhvi said.
The apex court said PILs are being filed before it by people who are vexed with the approach of the government on various issues.
"You complain about judicial activism when you are in power. When you are not in power you come to us for remedy," the bench said.
The bench gave vent to its anger as Additional Solicitor General Amarender Saran bluntly told the court that the Centre had decided not to amend Section 441 IPC (criminal trespass) for prosecuting squatters of Government accommodation in the country.
The government took the stance that the existing provisions provided under the Public Premises Act was sufficient to evict those unlawfully occupying government accommodation.
Moreover, it claimed that out of 99,100 government houses only 300-odd dwellings were under unauthorised occupation for which had been made to evict them. But this did not satisfy the apex court which said the Government does not have the guts to take on the offenders.