Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, an organisation of Islamic scholars belonging to the Deobandi school of thought in India, has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking rehabilitation of people whose homes were razed by local authorities in Nuh district of Haryana after communal violence in the state claimed six lives.
The petition urged the Apex Court to direct all state governments across the country to refrain from using bulldozers to raze the houses of residents, along with strict action against those indulging in such action.
Terming the bulldozer operation in Nuh and Gurugram districts as illegal, the Muslim body said that razing the houses of alleged accused was like giving them punishment even before they were convicted by the court.
The organisation sought rehabilitation, compensation and accommodation for transitional stay of people residing in around 650 mud, brick and pukka houses, which were demolished ‘illegally’ by the Haryana government.
The petition further sought action against the guilty officials.
Noting that the Punjab and Haryana High Court had halted the bulldozer action in Nuh, the petition said the High Court order, however, did not mention rehabilitation and compensation for those who were displaced by such action.
On August 7, the High Court of Punjab and Haryana stayed the demolition drive in Nuh, which was ordered by the Manohar Khattar government on August 3, following violent clashes in the district, which claimed six lives.
The Single-Judge Bench of Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia took suo motu action on a petition, which alleged that the Haryana government did not give the residents any prior notice before launching the drive to raze the alleged illegal construction in Nuh on August 3.
While issuing notice to the Haryana government, the Single-Judge Bench of Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia stayed the demolition till further orders.
Advocate Mohammad Arshad, appearing for the victims, apprised the High Court that the authorities have reportedly demolished over 750 alleged illegal encroachments, including buildings and structures, allegedly belonging to persons involved in communal violence.