MP Cong welcomes SC’s verdict on ‘bulldozer justice’

Bhopal, Sep 17 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh has been among those states where controversial ‘bulldozer justice’ flourished as part of action from the administration.  

The Supreme Court on Tuesday halted the unauthorised demolition of private property, anywhere in India till October 1, MP Congress leadership called it a slap on BJP's arbitrary. 

MP Congress chief Jitu Patwari said, "The Supreme Court has slapped on BJP's dictatorship today. But, the Congress would also request the SC to punish those officials who acted as puppets of the BJP and demolished homes of poor people."

The Supreme Court on Tuesday stopped bulldozer demolition across India until October 1 without its permission, and unless the demolitions are on public roads, water bodies, railway lines.

The apex court said it would formulate directives on when and how properties can be demolished under the municipal laws of the land.

Bulldozers were used on a routine basis for anti-encroachment drives to free government lands, but at times, the state administration used it on the pretext of exemplary action against the “criminals” involved in “heinous crimes”. 

The “bulldozer justice system” was introduced in Madhya Pradesh during former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan's tenure. His successor Mohan Yadav-led MP government continues with the established system. 

The opposition Congress, criticised the BJP government's Bulldozer action from different stages, including in the courts. 

However, there were many instances when Congress leaders too promoted “bulldozer justice”, especially when the accused persons involved in criminal activities were associated with the ruling BJP. For instance, when a BJP worker Pravesh Shukla was arrested for urinating in a Tribal man in Sidhi district in July last year. 

The incident sparked a political controversy as the state assembly elections were due in a few months and Shukla was booked under National Security Act (NSA). 

For the next few days after the video of the incident (urinating on a Tribal man) surfaced, the BJP leadership was hesitant to use a bulldozer to demolish his home. On the other side, the Congress relentlessly targeted the BJP asking - if the bulldozer would be used to demolish Pravesh Shukla's home. 

Shukla's home was finally demolished amid huge political controversy and the case reached before the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Besides this, there were several such instances when the Congress leaders accused the BJP government of being biased in bulldozing homes. 

--IANS

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