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High Court Halts Bulldozer Operations In Nuh And Gurugram Amid Ethnic Cleansing Concerns
- The Punjab and Haryana High Court issues a forceful order to suspend bulldozer activities in the regions affected by communal violence, Nuh and Gurugram.
- The court raises questions about whether specific community-owned buildings are being razed under the pretext of maintaining law and order, shedding light on concerns of "ethnic cleansing."
The order stated that the issue also arises whether the buildings belonging to a particular community are being brought down under the guise of law and order problem, and an exercise of ethnic cleansing is being conducted by the State.
The court cited a statement by Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij, who referred to bulldozers as a form of "ilaaj" or treatment, due to the state government's investigation into communal violence. In a scathing commentary, the court referenced a quote from the English writer and historian Lord Acton, which reads, "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
The court further expressed its concerns, mentioning that seemingly without proper demolition orders and notifications, the pretext of a law and order issue was being used to dismantle buildings without adhering to legally established procedures. The court also referred to media reports that suggested houses and shops were being demolished because individuals involved in "anti-social activity" had constructed illegal buildings.
As part of its directive, the court required the Haryana government to provide an affidavit detailing the number of buildings that have been demolished in the past two weeks, both in Nuh and Gurugram, and whether any prior notice was given before the demolitions took place.
Responding to the high court ruling, Deputy Commissioner Dhirendra Khadgata instructed relevant officials to cease bulldozer activities. The court addressed this matter on its own motion, a week after communal clashes in Haryana resulted in six deaths, substantial property damage, and widespread panic in Nuh and Gurugram.
Within the span of four days, over 350 shanties and 50 cement structures were demolished as part of the ongoing demolition efforts.
