akhilesh-yadav-bulldozer-will-stay-in-the-garage-now
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a jibe at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, following the Supreme Court’s strong stance on the issue of ‘bulldozer justice.’ In a statement made today, Yadav welcomed the Supreme Court’s ruling, which laid down guidelines for demolitions and cracked down on the arbitrary use of bulldozers by the state government.
“The bulldozer will now stay in the garage,” Yadav said during a rally in Sisamau Assembly constituency in Kanpur, a region that will witness bypolls on November 20. He further added, “You must know what the Supreme Court has said. It has criticized the bulldozer, which had become a symbol of this government. I thank the Supreme Court for this decision.”
Referring to the frequent demolitions carried out by the Yogi Adityanath government, Yadav emphasized, “What do you expect from those who destroy homes? At least now, the bulldozer will stay parked in the garage. No poor person’s home will be demolished,” he stated.
Yadav also quoted a line from poet Pradeep’s verses, which were included in the Supreme Court’s judgment: “Everyone dreams of a home, a person longs to hold on to the dream of a home.” Yadav called this an apt and strong critique of the government’s actions.
The ‘bulldozer’ had become a symbol of the state’s aggressive stance against individuals accused of heinous crimes, with the Uttar Pradesh government frequently using bulldozers to demolish properties linked to alleged criminals. This tactic earned Chief Minister Adityanath the nickname ‘Bulldozer Baba.’ Responding to this tag, Adityanath had defended the bulldozer actions, claiming the government was targeting the land mafia and ensuring no action was taken against innocents. In a podcast with ANI, he remarked, “If someone occupies government land, should we perform their aarti?”
The Supreme Court’s ruling today addressed the concerns over ‘bulldozer justice’ and set forth strict guidelines for demolitions. The bench, consisting of Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan, emphasized that demolition actions should not be carried out arbitrarily or without due process. The court clarified that the executive cannot replace the judiciary, and no person should be presumed guilty before their trial. It also held that public officials responsible for extrajudicial actions must be held accountable.
The court highlighted that for the average citizen, building a house represents years of hard work and dreams. “A home embodies the collective hopes for security and a future. If this is taken away, authorities must justify that demolition is the only option,” the bench stated.
This landmark ruling has significant implications for how demolition actions will be carried out across India, particularly in states like Uttar Pradesh, where bulldozer justice had been widely criticized for bypassing the judicial process.
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