Yogi Govt defends bulldozing in SC, says nothing to do with protests

New Delhi: The Yogi government in Uttar Pradesh in the Supreme Court defended the demolitions of constructions owned by people who protested against the remarks insulting Prophet Muhammad, saying it was part of its routine action against illegal constructions.

The government sought the dismissal of the plea that challenged the demolitions using bulldozers of the constructions belonging to a particular community. The government is of the stand that it did nothing discriminatory to any particular community but was acting against what was illegal, in line with due process of the law.

Calling the rioters' claim false that the demolition was a retaliatory action by the government over the protests, the Yogi government said that rioters have been booked under the relevant laws.

The government had the house of Javed Mohammed demolished following the protests against the obnoxious statement against the Prophet Muhammad by the now suspended BJP functionary Nupur Sharma.

However, the government denied that the demolition had anything to do with the protestors, and called linking the government action to the protests as a mala fide attempt by the petitioner - Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind.

The court had then observed that demolitions have to be in accordance with the law, and cannot be a retaliatory measure.

The petition, filed by Muslim body Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, was in connection with the recent demolitions of buildings deemed illegal by the state administration in Kanpur and Prayagraj.