Apex court to hear petitions against UP demolitions today
Abraham Thomas
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday will hear petitions filed by Muslim body Jamiat Ulama-i-hind seeking directions to the Uttar Pradesh government to stay any further demolition of properties of people allegedly accused of participating in violent protests against remarks by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Prophet Mohammed. A bench of justices AS Bopanna and Vikram Nath will hear the two applications filed by the Jamiat earlier this week, two days after former judges and senior advocates wrote to Chief Justice of India N V Ramana urging him to take suo motu cognisance of alleged incidents of illegal detention, bulldozing of residences, and police action on the protestors.
Four properties have been demolished by authorities so far, after violent protests against now suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled BJP leader Naveen Jindal for their remarks on Prophet Mohammed rocked Kanpur, Prayagraj and Saharanpur districts on June 3 and June 10. Forty-nine people, including 20 police personnel, were injured in the violence. The demolition drives took place in Kanpur, Prayagraj and Saharanpur.
Over 350 people have been arrested so far. At least 50 hoardings with photographs of alleged rioters were also put up in several areas of Kanpur for identification and subsequent arrests.
In its pleas to the top court, the Jamiat has sought immediate direction to the state government to stall the “ongoing” demolitions in several districts and action against officials behind demolition of properties.
The action taken by police and state authorities is in complete disregard of principles of natural justice and in violation of municipal laws which provide for advance notices and opportunity of hearing to persons whose properties are sought to be demolished, the Muslim body said.
The applications also said that soon after the violence, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Aditynath told reporters that houses of accused persons would be razed using bulldozers. The statement was reiterated by additional director general (law and order) Prashant Kumar and Kanpur commissioner of police Vijay Singh Meena, it said.