‘Targeting minorities’: Congress condemns ‘barbaric’ demolition of homes in BJP-ruled states

New Delhi: The Congress party has launched a scathing attack on the BJP government’s use of “bulldozer justice,” calling it an act of “barbarism” and accusing the saffron party of “targeting minorities with state-sponsored coercion”.

This condemnation comes in the wake of recent incidents in BJP-ruled states where the houses of people accused of violence have been demolished. In Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh, the house of Shahzad Ali, accused of participating in violence during a protest, was demolished, sparking widespread outrage.

Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, have condemned this practice, highlighting its inherent injustice and its potential to instil fear among people. Gandhi termed it “totally unacceptable” and emphasised that governments cannot resort to criminal behaviour, arguing that only courts have the right to determine guilt and punishment.

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“If someone is accused of a crime, then only the court can decide his crime and his punishment. But punishing the accused’s family as soon as the accusation is made, taking away the roof from over their heads, not following the law, disobeying the court, demolishing the house of the accused as soon as the accusation is made – this is not justice,” the Congress leader wrote on X.

“This is the height of barbarism and injustice. There should be a difference between the lawmakers, the law keepers and the lawbreakers. Governments cannot behave like criminals. Obeying the law, constitution, democracy and humanity is the minimum condition of governance in a civilized society. One who cannot fulfill his duty can neither do good for the society nor for the country,” she added on the post.

Kharge, in his statement, accused the BJP governments of blatantly disregarding the constitution and using bulldozers as a tool of intimidation. He stressed that offences must be adjudicated in courts, not through “state-sponsored coercion and that anarchy cannot replace natural justice”.

“Demolishing someone’s home and rendering their family homeless is both inhumane and unjust. The repeated targeting of minorities in BJP-ruled States is deeply troubling. Such actions have no place in a society governed by the Rule of Law,” Kharge wrote on his X account.

“The Congress strongly condemns the BJP State governments for their blatant disregard of the Constitution, using bulldozing as a tactic to instil fear among citizens,” he added.

The Congress party has also drawn attention to the repeated targeting of minorities in BJP-ruled states, citing the demolition of Shahzad Ali’s house as an example. They argue that these actions are not only discriminatory but also violate the principles of a society governed by the rule of law.

The demolition of Ali’s house follows a similar incident in Nashik, Maharashtra, where the house of a man accused of participating in violence during a protest against remarks made by seer Ramgiri Maharaj was demolished. This incident triggered outrage within the Muslim community, with Lok Sabha whip Mohammad Jawed appealing to the Supreme Court to intervene, stating that demolishing Muslim homes with bulldozers is an act of hatred, not justice.