UP demolition drive: Supreme Court to hear Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind's plea tomorrow
India Today
The Supreme Court will hear Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind's plea seeking directions to the Uttar Pradesh government ensure that no further demolitions are carried out without following due process.
The Supreme Court will on Thursday hear a plea by Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind against the demolition drives carried out in Uttar Pradesh following violent protests over the Prophet remarks row.
A vacation bench of Justice AS Bopanna and Justice Vikram Nath will hear the plea filed by the Muslim body. The plea seeks the court's direction to the Uttar Pradesh government to ensure that no further demolitions are carried out without following due process.
The plea seeks directions to initiate action against officials responsible for the houses being demolished in violation of the rule of law and the municipal laws enacted by the Uttar Pradesh government.
Last week, protests broke out in the cities of Prayagraj and Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh over the controversial remarks made by former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma against Prohphet Muhammad. Days after protests, the civil administration of the cities ordered the demolition of “illegal properties” belonging to the protesters who allegedly incited violence in the cities.
On Tuesday, some former judges and senior advocates wrote to Chief Justice of India N V Ramana urging him to take suo motu cognisance of the demolition of houses of protesters in Uttar Pradesh. The letter referred to videos of UP Police beating up protesters to highlight "breakdown of the rule of law and a violation of the rights of citizens" and demanded an urgent hearing by the top court.
The Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind organisation had earlier filed a plea against the demolition drive in Delhi's Jahangirpuri area in April this year. The drive was carried out by the civic body days after communal clashes erupted in the area on Hanuman Jayanti. The Supreme Court later intervened and stayed the demolition drive in Jahangirpuri.On Thursday, the Supreme court will also hear the plea against the anti-encroachment drive in Jahangirpuri case.
