UP: Allahabad HC Questions Yogi Govt On Bulldozer Action In Azamgarh

The Allahabad High Court questioned the Uttar Pradesh government about the circumstances that led to the demolition of the petitioner's house allegedly without following legal procedures.

A bulldozer razes the house of a gang-rape accused in Ayodhya.

Source : PTI

Allahabad High Court on Bulldozer Action: The Allahabad High Court has raised questions about the bulldozer action in Uttar Pradesh. Earlier the Supreme Court had expressed its reservations against the rampant bulldozer action by the state governments. The Allahabad High Court on Friday expressed strong displeasure over the demolition of a house in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, without following due process and has sought a response from the UP government. The court asked what legal process was followed to demolish the petitioner's house.

The matter was heard by the single-judge bench of Justice Prakash Padia. The court asked the Yogi Adityanath-led UP government about the circumstances under which the petitioner's house was demolished allegedly without following due process. The court asked the UP government to file a response in this matter. The next hearing on the matter will be on September 18. 

यूपी में पुलिस भी बुल्डोजर से सेफ नहीं है. सिद्धार्थनगर में अतिक्रमण हटाओ अभियान के तहत थाने पर भी बुल्डोजर चला. थाने का कुछ हिस्सा अतिक्रमण कर बनाया गया था, जिसे ढहा दिया गया. इस दौरान थानेदार, सीओ और एसडीएम के बीच खूब बहस हुई, लेकिन थाने पर बुल्डोजर चलकर ही रहा.#Bulldozer… pic.twitter.com/5yB7uxjWCk

— ABP News (@ABPNews) August 27, 2024

Sunil Kumar from Azamgarh filed a petition in the high court regarding the bulldozer action. On July 22, the Additional Collector of Azamgarh issued an order to demolish Sunil Kumar's house over a land dispute. It is alleged that Sunil Kumar's house was bulldozed without giving him any opportunity to be heard.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had also raised questions about the bulldozer action on the houses of people accused in criminal cases. The Supreme Court termed "bulldozer action" as wrong and said that the accusation of crime against a person cannot be the basis for bulldozing the family's home. There is a rule of law in the country.

The Supreme Court said that it is the court's job to decide whether the accused is guilty or not, or what crime he committed. A family cannot be punished for the mistake of an accused. Allowing such action is like bulldozing the rule of law.

Earlier, on Tuesday, the Samajwadi Party took a dig at Yogi Adityanath, citing his administration's perceived tendency to effect 'bulldozer action' in criminal cases. BJP MLA Manju Tyagi was caught on camera snatching polling papers from the SDM during a cooperative committee election in Lakhimpur's Srinagar. At this, the Akhilesh Yadav-led party asked if Yogi Adityanath would take 'bulldozer action' against her.

WATCH | BJP MLA Manju Tyagi Snatches Poll Papers From SDM