End to bulldozer Raj

It is rare for government reforms to get large public praise and adulation. One among them was the ‘bulldozer justice’ now seen all across India. And it finally took the Supreme Court to call out the outrageous act done in pure violation of laws prescribed in the constitution. It also served as a reminder that popular reforms may be the most egregious ones.

For the past few years, the government have been busy demolishing houses of convicts and even daring to post the ‘instant justice act’ on social media. Based on which law are they demolishing the houses?

The ruling government, now the staunch advocate of nationality and Indian culture should spend some time studying the words from the revered poet Valmiki.

‘Though a thief steals for his wife and children, he has to bear the sin of it himself while the wife and children should not be made to undergo the turmoil’

Indian legal system has a provision to punish only those who commit crimes. Apart from that, it has not been said anywhere that the wife and children of the criminal should be made to undergo torture. Knowledge, common sense and democratic values are enough to discern outrageous acts from prudent ones. The ‘bulldozer justice’ is simply suited for the former and has no place in a country that embraces democratic values. Bulldozer measures are test doses used to subvert democracy. Such events are the beginning of overthrowing democracy and establishing a dictatorship.

This is something that no civilized country would ever allow. It can be assumed that the observation made by the Supreme Court the other day will end this monstrous act. The Supreme Court has pointed out that it is not right to demolish the houses of criminal case defendants with bulldozers.

Advocate Dushyant Dave, on behalf of the Jamiat Ulama i Hind organization, pointed out in the court that the houses of Muslims in Jahangirpuri were demolished in April 2022. However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that it was demolished after sending a notice for illegal construction. At the same time, the Solicitor General also informed that the UP government has filed an affidavit stating that the house cannot be demolished just because it is owned by someone who committed a criminal offence.

Many such demolitions were telecasted on television screens amidst massive cheering from people over the ‘instant justice scheme’. Those who can go to such lengths as demolishing houses of convicts, breaking all ounces of law, can easily commit the same with an opposition member’s house. The ruling government needs to make course corrections.