Supreme Court Intervention Stops Manic Demolition In Jahangirpuri
The BJP-driven encroachment drive in Jahangirpuri has been halted by a Supreme Court ruling. The epicenter of conflict over the recent violence over the occasion of Hanuman Jayanthi, was pulled into a sudden encroachment drive.
The court has ordered a ‘status quo’ on the eviction drive for now and will be hearing the matter on April 21, 2022. Apparently, the house being razed are of those who were seen to be instrumental in participating in the riots. The exercise comes after Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta wrote to the mayor of the civic body, asking him to identify illegal constructions of these ‘rioters’ in the area and demolish them.
It has been termed as a ‘routine exercise’ but it doesn’t seem to be the case as the timing of the drive looks suspect where orders to demolish come right after the BJP’s chief letter, has prompted questions on political motives are behind the drive.
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Despite the directive from the court, demolitions continued for the next two hours where the Mayor of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, Raja Iqbal Singh, said they had yet to receive the order and would continue their job of removing illegal structures until they did.
The damage reached to levels of removing gates to a mosque as well. The situation could have got out of hand unless CPM leader Brinda Karat wouldn’t have come to intervene and request people to remain calm. Residents said no notice was served before the drive. The civic body had yesterday sought a force of at least 400 police personnel for the two-day anti-encroachment drive. Twenty-five people have been arrested so far in connection with the violence. Five of them have been charged under the National Security Act, which allows detention up to a year without any charge.
