Demolition Drive in Jahangirpuri Brinda Karat ,The North Delhi Municipal Corporation dispatched nine bulldozers to clear what it deemed to be unlawful encroachments in Jahangirpuri.CPM leader Brinda Karat was seen blocking a bulldozer
New Delhi: In dramatic images from a tense two-hour standoff in which the civic authority refused to cease its “anti-encroachment drive” despite the court’s injunction, CPM leader Brinda Karat was seen blocking a bulldozer and holding a copy of a Supreme Court judgement in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri this afternoon.
Bulldozers and 14 civic teams arrived in Jahangirpuri, Delhi, at 9.30 a.m. today, in the area where communal clashes erupted on Saturday during a Hanuman Jayanti procession.
The North Delhi Municipal Corporation dispatched nine bulldozers to Jahangirpuri to clear what it called illegal encroachments. North Delhi Municipal Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh requested 400 police officers in a letter to the Delhi Police to preserve order in the area, which has been tense since the violence. Over 1,500 officers and security workers were on the scene today.
Hundreds of officers in riot gear encircled some shops and a mosque where violence erupted on Saturday, with bulldozers. “We’re here to protect you and preserve law and order,” said Dependra Pathak, a senior police officer.
A petitioner who hurried to the Supreme Court to block the demolition pointed to a troubling pattern in places such as Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh – communal clashes followed by demolition drives targeting one community. The petitioner further claimed that the Delhi Municipal Corporation did not notify anyone prior to the razing operation.
As the BJP-dominated civic council began demolishing structures, a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana ordered a halt to the demolition till the next hearing, which is scheduled for tomorrow.
The demolition, however, did not halt, and the excavators went on to demolish shops before proceeding to the mosque. Officials said they were awaiting the court ruling and would continue “removing illegal buildings” until they received it.
In the midst of the mounting tensions, a mosque’s wall and gate were demolished, as were some surrounding shops.
Brinda Karat, the leader of the CPM, arrived at the scene around 12 p.m. with a physical copy of the manifesto the order and urged the police and civic staff to stop the demolition instantly. In a video, woman can be seen standing in front of a bulldozer, blocking its path.
“The bulldozers were simply destroying structures. They just selectively bulldozed everything. We had to put a stop to it. A senior police official arrived after we had stopped it. I approached him and presented him with the court order. Then he answered, “Yeah, yes, we’ll put a stop to it right now,” “Ms. Karat informed the United States.
She claimed that the demolitions were carried out in violation of the law. “They were driven not to protect the law, but to uphold the BJP’s very sectarian and communal agenda,” the CPM leader explained.
“You are bulldozing and bullying a community, not simply a neighbourhood. You’re obliterating the law. The Supreme Court order is being bulldozed by you.”
The Supreme Court was requested to intervene immediately since the destruction was continuing against the ruling.
“They claim that the order has not been communicated. Please communicate, and if you have any questions, please contact the Secretary General “Dushyant Dave, a senior lawyer, said Chief Justice Ramana. “It was instantly widely covered in the media. This isn’t correct! We live in a society based on the rule of law “he stated
“Otherwise, it will be too late,” Mr Dave added, pleading for immediate action. “Ok. Inform the Secretary-General or the Registrar General (of the Supreme Court) as soon as possible “The Chief Justice stated.
Mr Dave’s contact information for the NDMC Mayor, Commissioner, and Delhi Police Commissioner was taken down by the Chief Justice.
Two hours after the Supreme Court’s order, the demolitions came to a halt.