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The Supreme Court in its recent order halted demolition of private property owned by the people accused in criminal cases till October 1, widely called “bulldozer justice". While Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav, in an indirect attack on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, called it a break from “destructive politics", political analysts recalled the major such demolitions in Uttar Pradesh. According to analysts, bulldozer action in UP began in 2017, soon after Adityanath took charge as the CM and introduced his zero-tolerance policy against crime and criminals.
It grabbed the headlines in 2020 when the local administration bulldozed the property of gangster Vikas Dubey, who killed eight policemen on the night of July 2 in Kanpur’s Bikru village. After eliminating Dubey and his gang, the police bulldozed Dubey’s house. ALSO READ | ‘No Demolition Without Our Nod’: Supreme Court Halts ‘Bulldozer Justice’ Till October 1 “That was the first time when bulldozer action, which also fetched UP CM the title of ‘Bulldozer Baba’, came to light," said Shashikanth Pandey, head department of political sciences Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow.
The ‘bulldozer action’ in UP peaked after the killing of Umesh Pal on February 24, 2023, which was linked to gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed. Pal, a key witness in the 2005 murder of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal, was allegedly murdered by Ahmed’s men, including his son, to maintain their influence. Following this, Adityanath declared in the state assembly, “Mafia ko mitti mein mila doonga (I will reduce the mafia to dust).
" In response, the Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) launched a demolition drive, targeting properties linked to the accused. Among these were the house of Zeeshan Fatima, wife of Atiq’s brother Ashraf, which authorities claimed was built on Waqf land without proper ownership proof. Another aide Mohammed Ghulam’s house was also bulldozed.
Since 2020, the PDA had demolished six of Atiq’s properties, including his two-storey house in Prayagraj’s Chakia and his office, citing illegal construction on government land. Atiq and his brother Ashraf, both in jail, were assassinated by three gunmen on April 15, 2023, during a court-mandated medical visit. Beyond Ahmed, whose property worth Rs 350 crore was bulldozed, the UP government expanded the action to other mafias and criminals.
Mafia-don Mukhtar Ansari’s properties worth over Rs 194 crore were attached, and several of his properties in Lucknow and other districts were demolished. The government also attached properties worth Rs 65 crore belonging to gangster Sunder Bhati and demolished illegal establishments owned by him. The bulldozer policy has been extended to other gangsters and criminals in the state, signalling the administration’s tough stance against organised crime.
Of all bulldozer actions, the most recent was in Ayodhya. The district administration on August 22 bulldozed the shopping complex belonging to Moid Khan, a Samajwadi Party (SP) leader accused in gangrape of a 12-year-old girl, in Bhadarsa town. Prior to this, on August 8, the district administration had demolished Khan’s bakery built on 3,000 square feet, stating that a portion was built on the pond’s land.
The Supreme Court recently ordered to halt unauthorised demolition of private property anywhere in India till October 1, when it will next hear arguments against ‘bulldozer justice’. The court dismissed concerns by the government, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, that its order would impact legally sanctioned demolitions. “The heavens won’t fall if we ask you to hold your hands till (the) next hearing," a bench of Justice BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan declared.
The SP hailed the Supreme Court’s order as a victory against the “destructive" politics associated with the misuse of bulldozers. Yadav stated, “The Supreme Court’s order has not only sidelined the bulldozer, but also the politics of those who misused it. Today, the wheels and steering of the bulldozer have come off, creating an identity crisis for those who used it as their emblem.
" He said, “Now, neither the bulldozer nor the person operating it can continue. It’s time to halt both. However, there is a major apprehension — will they rename the bulldozer and find another way to misuse it?".
