Supreme Court and CM Yogi Adityanath
The Supreme Court order banning arbitrary bulldozing operations is considered the biggest blow to the Uttar Pradesh government. In UP itself, for the first time in 2017, a bulldozing operation was launched against the accused and guilty. Gradually, this trend of action started in different states of the country.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also adopted the bulldozer as his election symbol at 2022 rallies. There is a bulldozer at every rally and Yogi often attracts people by displaying it.
SC’s decision also shocked Yogi
1. According to reports, from 2017 to 2024, the number of bulldozer operations nationwide exceeded 1,900. Among them, the largest bulldozing operation took place in UP. About 1,500 bulldozer operations have been carried out in Uttar Pradesh in the past seven years.
According to the UP government, all these actions were taken against illegal constructions. The petitioners said the bulldozing action was taken after seeing Muslims being charged.
2. By bulldozing operations in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP government got immediate relief in terms of crime control. For example, the government, which was on the back foot because the defendant’s house collapsed, would immediately step on the front foot. Because of this, despite rising crime, the government has never been under siege.
Now the supreme decision has increased tensions in the government. Now, the Yogi government must find another strong way to control crime.
3. The bulldozing action also cast a harsh light on Yogi Adityanath. He was nicknamed “Bulldozer Baba” in political circles. The yogi is also very satisfied with this title and has always called his movements the best.
Regarding the recent controversy surrounding the bulldozer move, Yogi said it requires total dedication to make it work.
Not only that, Yogi talks about bulldozing moves at every rally. The audience gave his statement a round of applause, but following the Supreme Court ruling, Yogi Adityanath will have to take some other steps to strengthen his image.
Assembly elections will be held in UP in two years’ time. In this case, this is a very tense issue for the government.
4. Muslims in Uttar Pradesh have no voice due to bulldozer action. Now he will have a political voice and will play an important role in the 2027 elections. It could also be a political setback for the Yogi government, which is already disadvantaged by the PDA.
Not only this, the BJP’s other state chief ministers are also pushing forward with bulldozing operations under the watchful eye of Yogi Adityanath. Therefore, Yogi Adityanath is at the forefront of BJP politics compared to other chief ministers across the country. Now that won’t be possible.
5. Recently, the Supreme Court gave its verdict in the bulldozer suit in Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh. The court has ordered the government and its officials to pay compensation of Rs 2.5 million to the victim’s family.
In this case, the UP government will no longer be able to directly say that bulldozers are only used for illegal construction.
What did the Supreme Court say in its decision?
The Supreme Court, while issuing 15-point guidelines, said bulldozing operations are prohibited. The court said the right to asylum is a fundamental right and cannot be abrogated by any official.
While delivering the verdict, a bench headed by Justice BR Gavai said that neither the state government nor the executive branch had the power to convict the accused. The court said we were in court to seek justice.
In its judgment, the Supreme Court said that if someone’s house is demolished without authorization, strict action will be taken against the officials concerned. The court has asked the officials to collect fines as compensation.
The Supreme Court, while delivering its judgment under Section 142, said all states should issue summons and issue directions to their officials regarding bulldozing operations. To do otherwise would be an insult to the court.
