The bulldozing of the rule of law

The marauding bulldozer has become the speaking symbol of the UP government’s handling of protests and protesters, especially if they are Muslims. From Saharanpur to Kanpur to Prayagraj, members of the minority community have been attacked and hit with vengeance and their houses either razed down or listed for demolition. It is only with horror that the viral video of the brutal caning of some Muslim protesters in a Saharanpur police station can be watched. It was posted by a BJP MLA, Shalabh Mani Tripathi, as the “return gift” by the State and police for the protests against the offensive remarks about the Prophet by two former party office-bearers, Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal. Obviously, the MLA was proud of the policemen’s action and wanted to send out a message about what could happen to anyone who protests, speaks Urdu, and is a Muslim.

The residence of a political activist in Prayagraj, Mohammed Javed, was demolished with bulldozers last Sunday, though the house was his wife’s property. The demolition was carried out within hours of a notice backdated to May 10 was pasted on the house, after the entire family had been taken away by the police. The excuse was that the house was illegal, but even an illegal construction cannot be demolished without the due process of law. The owner has the right to be heard and to appeal, but these were not heeded. Other protesters are now said to be on the hit list for demolition. The bulldozer started its present round from Saharanpur, where the “illegal constructions” of two protesters were destroyed early this month, and then moved to Kanpur, where a building belonging to the relative of an accused person was targeted.

The Yogi Adityanath government has weaponised the bulldozer to punish those who are loosely called anti-socials and criminals, but the words actually mean ‘Muslims’. The deployment of bulldozers against protesting citizens marks a coarsening of politics, and the wielding of unfeeling lathis against hapless persons in a closed room means a growing brutalisation of governance. The bulldozers ride roughshod over the rule of law and the rights of citizens. The claim that they are used against illegal constructions is deception, and it is clear they are consciously employed to terrorise, punish and subjugate the minority. There are judicial stays in place in some places, but the bulldozer then moves to another place. It is driven by hatred and prejudice and needs to be stopped in its tracks to protect citizens’ rights and ensure the primacy of the rule of law. The Supreme Court has told the UP government to follow the process of law, but the government has shown that it has ways to dodge the law and the court’s orders.