Lucknow: The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh continues with its Bulldozer Raj, bypassing protests and defying even Supreme Court orders in Sambhal. It was only last month that tensions arose during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Masjid here, and four people from the Muslim community were killed in police firing.
The administration here is demolishing houses and shops, claiming encroachment. The administration is also running a drive against alleged electricity theft. An eviction is taking place near the house of Samajwadi Party MP Ziaur Rahman Barkh, and it is being carried out under heavy police security.
Last month, the Supreme Court ordered that governments should not use an iron fist to destroy properties. The government and the relevant authority cannot replace the judiciary, and no one can be considered guilty before being proven guilty according to law, a bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Vishwanathan said.
The court said that if a house or property is demolished without following the law and procedure, the family will be entitled to compensation, and legal action will also be taken against the officials who took illegal action. However, the district administration in Sambhal holds the position that the eviction is being carried out in accordance with the legal procedures. The authorities started the action on Sunday morning, saying that they were evicting encroachers in the area.
The opposition has accused the government of taking such action before the wounds of a major conflict have healed.
Meanwhile, the district administration opened an ancient temple in Sambhal that was closed following the 1978 communal riots. The temple was discovered while checking an illegal electricity connection. A Shivalinga and a Hanuman statue were recovered from the temple.
District Magistrate supervised the opening and cleaning of the temple gates, including a well nearby. The temple, which was claimed to be more than 500 years old, has been handed over to devotees.