Hearing on the bulldozer cases started today in the Supreme Court. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta presented arguments before the bench of Justice Gavai and Justice KV Vishwanathan. Mehta said that the action taken has been done as per the municipal law. He said that action has been taken only after the municipal bodies issued notices in cases of illegal occupation. Justice Vishwanathan has sought a detailed reply from the government. The court has directed the government to respond to the notice, action and other allegations.
Supreme Court raised serious questions on bulldozer action
The Supreme Court has raised serious questions on the bulldozer action. The court said that it is not fair to demolish someone’s house just on the basis of being accused. The court, while raising questions on the action of the government and administration, said that even if a person is guilty, his house cannot be demolished. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta accepted this and said that even if the person is proven guilty of the crime, the house cannot be demolished. He clarified that those against whom action has been taken are on target due to illegal occupation or construction, and not because of the allegation of crime.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind filed a petition
Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind has filed a petition demanding a ban on arbitrary bulldozer demolition of the houses of the accused by the government. The petition has alleged targeting of the minority community by referring to the recent bulldozer actions in UP, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. An appeal was made to the Supreme Court for an early hearing to stop the trend of ‘bulldozer justice’ in the petition.
There was a demand for early hearing on the petition
Senior advocate Dushyant Dave had sought an early hearing on this petition. The petition was filed by lawyer Farooq Rashid in the Jahangirpuri case. The petition said that the state governments are promoting a cycle of repression against marginalized people, especially minorities, by bulldozing their homes and properties, which does not give the victims a chance to take legal recourse.
The court asked for suggestions
The Supreme Court said that it will not provide protection to any illegal structure that is blocking public roads. The court has sought suggestions from the concerned parties so that it can issue appropriate guidelines regarding the demolition of properties across the country.
Many bulldozer actions happened recently
According to a February 2024 report by Amnesty International, between April 2022 and June 2023, 128 properties were bulldozed following communal violence in Delhi, Assam, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. In Madhya Pradesh, the property of the father of an accused was bulldozed, and properties were also demolished in Moradabad and Bareilly. Recently, the house of Rashid Khan was also bulldozed in Udaipur district of Rajasthan, where his 15-year-old son was accused of stabbing his classmate in school.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)