Supreme Court rules on bulldozing
The bulldozing operation was controversial in the country. Many human rights organizations and opposition parties have long opposed this. At present, the Supreme Court has issued strict instructions on this, prohibiting the arbitrary operation of bulldozers. The Supreme Court, while delivering its verdict on the bulldozing operation, said the law was there to let people know that their property could not be taken away arbitrarily.
In the past few years, political parties have relied on bulldozing to make ends meet, while the people affected by it have experienced many hardships after losing their homes. Ganesh and Akbar were among such victims, whose shops were razed to the ground by bulldozers in 2022 following the violence in Jahangirpuri, Delhi. After the Supreme Court’s verdict, both victims expressed happiness and confidence in Indian law.
Justice BR Gavai while delivering the sentence said, “Everyone’s dream is to never lose their home and the question before us is whether the administration can deprive a person accused of a crime of asylum.” That said, BR Gavai said the bulldozing operation without any conviction was legally wrong.
What do Ganesh and Akbar have to say about this decision?
After the Supreme Court’s verdict, Ganesh Gupta of Jahangirpuri said the Supreme Court had done justice. Ganesh said he has all the documents of the shop, there is no criminal case against him and his name was not included in the Jahangirpuri violence, but his shop was demolished. Ganesh said that after the store closed, he had no income for about five months and struggled to survive.
“They were given no notice and no chance to leave the shop. The women kept crying in front of the bulldozers, but the government demolished the shop,” said Akbar, another victim who owns the shop. all documents and there is no criminal case against him.
Petition against Jahangirpuri violence and bulldozing
In 2022, violence broke out between the two communities during a religious pilgrimage in Jahangirpuri, Delhi. The government then used bulldozers to demolish people’s shops and homes as a form of collective punishment. Jamiat Ulema Hind has moved the Supreme Court against the suit.
In another major achievement of Jamiat Ulema Hind, the Supreme Court said that driving a bulldozer to demolish someone’s house is not a punishment for any crime. The government cannot pretend to be a judge, driving around with bulldozers and making the decision to demolish someone’s house. Only the judiciary can decide whether something is legal. This important decision will be taken by the Supreme Court today.
— Arshad Madani (@ArshadMadani007) November 13, 2024
In its ruling, the court stated that government officials who enforce the law without authorization and act arbitrarily should be held accountable. However, there are currently no clear regulations on whether people whose houses have been demolished are entitled to compensation.
