‘Bulldozer will remain parked in garage’: Akhilesh Yadav, Asaduddin Owaisi welcome Supreme Court guidelines

Opposition leaders, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi welcomed the Supreme Court’s order on bulldozer action on Wednesday. It laid down stringent guidelines to curb “bulldozer justice” and stated that the executive cannot declare a person guilty, nor can it become a judge and decide to demolish the property of an accused person.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav hailed the Supreme Court verdict while hitting out at the Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh. He said, “… The Supreme Court has commented against the bulldozer, which became the symbol of this (BJP) government.”

“I thank the Supreme Court for this decision against the government…What can you expect from those who know how to demolish houses? At least today, their bulldozer will remain parked in the garage, now no one’s house will be demolished…,” Yadav said while addressing a public rally in Sismau.

The SP leader added, “What can be a bigger comment against the government than this? We have full faith in the court. One day our MLAs will be released and will come among us and will work like they used to do earlier.”

Meanwhile, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi called the “bulldozer judgement” of the Supreme Court a “welcome relief”. He posted on X, “The most important part of it is not its eloquence, but the enforceable guidelines. Hopefully, they will prevent state governments from collectively punishing Muslims and other marginalised groups.”

“We should remember that no less than @narendramodi has celebrated bulldozer raj, which SC today called “a lawless state of affairs,” Owaisi said.

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole also hit out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and said that he should keep his politics in UP only. “The BJP government has started to play the politics of creating fear by misusing ED, CBI and bulldozer in some states. The SC has snubbed them and we welcome that,” Patole was quoted by ANI as saying.

On Supreme Court’s verdict over bulldozer action, Delhi minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said this country is run by the constitution and that action must be taken against someone as per law.

“This ‘Dadagiri’ going on in the name of bulldozer action is illegal. The govt and the states’ high court, wherever these bulldozer actions are being taken, must have taken cognisance of it earlier…, ” Bharadwaj said.

CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat wished that the judgment on bulldozer actions would have come earlier. “I welcome the Supreme Court judgment holding bulldozer actions as being illegal and malafide. I only wish the judgment had come earlier as it would have saved the bulldozing of many many houses across BJP-led states,” Karat said in a statement.

BSP president Mayawati hoped the “terror” of bulldozer will definitely end now, while Congress’ Uttar Pradesh chief Ajay Rai said the verdict will end “jungle raj” in the state.

SCs’ ‘bulldozer justice’

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court pronounced the verdict on “bulldozer actions” by state governments to demolish properties of persons accused of crimes.

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan said on Wednesday that if the Executive, in an arbitrary manner, demolishes the house of a citizen only on the ground that they are accused of a crime, then it acts contrary to the principles of rule of law.

The court was quoted by ANI as saying, “If a citizen’s house is demolished merely because he is an accused or even for that matter a convict, that too without following the due process as prescribed by law, in our considered view, it will be totally unconstitutional for more than one reason.”

The court directed that no demolition should be carried out without a prior 15-day notice to the property owner.

The court stated that the notice should be served on the owner by registered post and also fixed on the outer portion of the structure. The notice must include the nature of the unauthorized construction, details of the specific violation, and the grounds for demolition.

The demolition must be videographed, and any violation of these guidelines will invite contempt.

The Supreme Court also held that the state and its officials cannot take arbitrary and excessive measures, stating that the executive cannot declare a person guilty or decide to demolish the property of an accused.

(With inputs from agencies)