"Deputy Commissioner of Nuh District in Haryana Refutes Religious Bias in Demolition Drive"
The Deputy Commissioner of Nuh district in Haryana has denied allegations of religious discrimination and a 'pick and choose' approach during a recent demolition drive in the region. In an affidavit submitted on August 17, Deputy Commissioner Dhirendra Khadgata stated that the demolition operation in Nuh, an area with a primarily Muslim population, affected a total of 354 individuals, consisting of 71 Hindus and 283 Muslims.
The affidavit further revealed that out of the 38 shops that were demolished, 55 percent were owned by Hindus, while 45 percent belonged to minority groups. The Deputy Commissioner emphasized that the government's actions were not guided by caste, creed, or religion, asserting that there was no biased selection process.
This response was provided in relation to a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) petition currently under consideration by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The PIL focuses on the demolitions carried out in Nuh following communal clashes in the area. Media reports had alleged that the demolition drive disproportionately targeted the Muslim community.
Taking cognizance of the incident on August 7, the High Court expressed concern over potential ethnic cleansing and ordered a halt to the demolition drive. The court questioned the lack of proper demolition orders and notices in the process and directed the State of Haryana to submit an affidavit detailing the recent demolitions in both Nuh and Gurugram.
The Deputy Commissioner's affidavit emphasized that the State government's approach to identifying encroachments does not consider factors such as caste, creed, or religion. The data collection process treats all encroachers impartially and follows legal protocols. Regarding the specific demolitions in question, the affidavit clarified that they were routine measures carried out by local authorities to address unauthorized structures. The due process of law was followed during the demolition operations.
The affidavit stated, "The demolitions in question were routine measures taken by independent local authorities against the owners/occupiers of illegal structures and that too after following the due procedure of law." It was highlighted that the District Town and Country Planner of Nuh oversaw the demolitions in 38 locations, adhering to proper procedures.
Furthermore, the affidavit detailed that the Department of Town & Country Planning had identified unauthorized constructions, including shops and mosque foundations, and issued show cause notices on February 25, 2021. A personal hearing was also provided on March 3, 2021, but the encroachers neither attended the hearing nor submitted written responses.
Following the outbreak of violence in Nuh, a plea was filed in the Supreme Court seeking action against calls to boycott and isolate Muslims. Responding to this, the Supreme Court expressed its disapproval of calls for such boycotts, deeming them unacceptable in light of the recent events in Nuh, Haryana.
TAGS: Deputy Commissioner Nuh District Haryana religious discrimination demolition drive affidavit communal clashes High Court minority groups encroachments legal procedures show cause notice due process unauthorized structures impartial Supreme Court boycott isolation Muslims violence.
