#DemolitionDrive: Supreme Court extends stay on demolitions for 2 weeks
The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the anti-encroachment demolition drive on Delhi's Jahangirpuri—which saw communal clashes on Hanuman Jayanti last week—to be halted for two weeks. Ordering status quo, the court also issued a notice to authorities saying no demolitions can take place in Jahangirpuri until further orders. The next hearing on the matter will be held after two weeks. Here are more details.
- Days after violent clashes erupted in Northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri, the BJP-controlled North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) launched an anti-encroachment demolition drive there on Wednesday.
- Notably, the violence took place on Saturday during a Hanuman Jayanti Shobha Yatra procession taken out by devotees of Lord Hanuman after some people allegedly pelted stones at them.
- Nine people, including eight police personnel, were injured in the clashes.
The Supreme Court's order came after it began hearing the petitions filed against the anti-encroachment demolition drive in Delhi's Jahangirpuri on Thursday. "We will take a serious view of all demolitions that took place after the Supreme Court decision was communicated to the mayor," the court said, ordering that the status quo be maintained in the matter.
Meanwhile, arguing on the government's behalf in the SC, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta stated allegations of one community being targeted in demolition drives were incorrect. Referring to demolitions in Madhya Pradesh's riot-hit Khargone, he claimed 88 of the affected parties were Hindus while 26 were Muslims. He further argued notices for illegal encroachments in Jahangirpuri were issued earlier and demolitions began back in January.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind (JUH), submitted encroachments are a serious problem but associating the Muslim community with the same wasn't correct. Adding such instances are occurring across India, he claimed when processions trigger frictions, houses of those belonging to only one community are razed down. When Sibal requested a stay on demolitions, the SC said demolitions across India can't be stayed.
Meanwhile, advocate Dushyant Dave, also representing the JUH in the case, said the NDMC mayor told the media the SC order will be complied with at 11:00 am. However, demolitions still went on, he claimed. Hitting out at the civic body, Dave said, "You have destroyed homes, who should be held accountable? Come to any colony in South Delhi...every second house has unauthorized construction."
