Bulldozers in Jahangirpuri: Demolition Halted, SC to Hear Pleas Against Drive on Thursday | Key Points

After halting the demolition drive in which bulldozers razed several structures in violence-hit Jahangirpuri on Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear petitions against the civic action on Thursday. The North Delhi Municipal Corporation, ruled by the BJP, conducted the anti-encroachment drive claiming that it was “routine”.

While opposition leaders have called it an attack against a minority community, the BJP has claimed that the action taken was not on the basis of religion. Facing criticism for the drive, the NDMC issued an official statement that it had undertaken a similar routine exercise in the same area on April 11 as well.

Jahangirpuri was rocked by communal violence on April 16 following an altercation between two groups when a Hanuman Jayanti procession was being taken out in the area. The case is being probed while several accused have been arrested, but bulldozers rolled into the troubled area and tore down several structures close to a mosque as part of an anti-encroachment drive by the NDMC. There was heavy police presence in the area.

The action came a day after Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta wrote to the mayor to identify illegal constructions of the “rioters” and demolish them using bulldozers, raising questions about political intention behind the action.

Here are the key points:

1. Demolition drive routine exercise, says NDMCThe BJP-ruled NDMC termed the demolition drive a routine exercise in which around 2-km stretch was cleared from encroachment and said squatters were also removed from the same area on April 11. Days after Jahangirpuri was rocked by communal violence, bulldozers rolled into the troubled area and razed several structures close to a mosque as part of an anti-encroachment drive. In an official statement issued on Wednesday, the civic body said temporary kiosks on pavements and ramps were removed by seven JCB machines/bulldozers in heavy police presence. “About two kilometres of road near Kushal cinema were cleared from encroachment. As many as 25 items were seized and 20 tonnes of garbage were lifted. The encroachment was removed by the licensing department, engineering department, enforcement cell and health department of Civil Lines as a joint team,” the civic body said, adding that such drives are conducted regularly in all wards “with/without notice… with prior intimation to local police”.
2. SC to hear pleas against demolition driveA Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Nageswara Rao will be hearing a petition filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind. The plea states that buildings of Muslim riots accused are being razed.
3. Delhi BJP leaders meet Amit ShahA group of leaders from the BJP’s Delhi unit met union home minister Amit Shah. BJP’s Delhi unit president Adesh Kumar Gupta, MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, party leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa were among those who met Shah at his office in North Block. The BJP leaders, however, were tight-lipped about the issues they discussed. Officials said the recent violence at Jahangirpuri and the demolition drive might have figured at the meeting. All three of Delhi’s municipal corporations are now merged into one and ruled by the BJP.
4. SC intervenes twice to stop demolitionAfter bulldozers rolled into troubled Jahangirpuri and tore down several structures, the SC had to intervene twice to stop the drive after it took cognizance of a petition filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind against the demolition. In less than two hours, several shops and businesses were pulled down amid scenes of chaos, with many owners insisting their establishments had the sanction of the Delhi Development Authority and the local civic body. Shop owners, whose establishments were demolished, claimed the NDMC launched the encroachment drive without giving prior notice to them. According to local residents, the drive continued for an hour and half even after the apex court’s initial order to stop it and maintain status quo. Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh insisted the drive was stopped after the SC order. “We will follow the Supreme Court orders. We have stopped the drive. We have removed only a few sacks of garbage and dirt along with a few tirpal structures’ (temporary structures),” Singh said, adding that it was a routine action against encroachers and not linked to the April 16 riots.
5. HC did not hear the issuePleas against the anti-encroachment drive were not taken up for hearing by the Delhi High Court following an order of status quo passed by the SC. A bench headed by acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi had agreed to list pleas against the drive for hearing during the day and asked the lawyers, who mentioned the cause for urgent listing and relief in the morning, to file their petitions and said, “I am not saying anything (on stopping the demolition) but that they (authorities) should be ready (with instructions).” Later in the day, the bench also comprising Justice Navin Chawla was informed that the SC has ordered the maintenance of the status quo and agreed to hear a plea challenging the action. The pleas, including a PIL thereafter, did not come up for hearing before the high court.
6. Heavy security before and during the driveHeavy police and paramilitary forces were deployed ahead of the anti-encroachment drive in the area. Officials said security forces were carrying out a flag march in the area and they took stock of the situation before the drive was launched. A drone was also deployed to monitor the situation. Ahead of the drive, people in Jahangirpuri C Block voluntarily removed their belongings from the roadside. The NDMC on Tuesday had requested the Delhi Police to provide at least 400 security personnel to maintain law and order during the two-day drive.
7. Opposition says minorities targeted, BJP calls it legalThe Opposition alleged that the demolition drive was against India’s constitutional values, which targeted the poor and minorities. The BJP, meanwhile, said it was a legal exercise that had nothing to do with religion. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the government over the use of bulldozers in violence-hit areas of Delhi and Madhya Pradesh and alleged that this is a demolition of India’s constitutional values and targeted against the poor and minorities. Taking to Twitter, he urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to switch off “bulldozers of hate”. Leaders from the Left parties, some of whom visited the Jahangirpuri demolition site, hit out at the Centre over the use of bulldozers despite an SC order. The BJP rebutted the allegations that Muslims were picked out in the demolition drive.

(With PTI inputs)

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