New Delhi: Days after the Supreme Court proposed issuing pan-India guidelines for the demolition of property by governments, a senior minister in Uttar Pradesh who is a former trusted bureaucrat of Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Thursday (September 5) that the use of bulldozers would continue in the state.
A.K Sharma, UP’s power minister, justified and defended the use of bulldozers by the state government, saying it was an instrument used by chief minister Yogi Adityanath to wipe out goondaism and “mafia raj” just like Modi was tackling corruption at the national level.
“The bulldozer is being used for that and it is a good thing,” Sharma told journalists in Siddharthnagar in eastern UP.
The bureaucrat-turned-politician from Mau also said that the government would not stop its use of bulldozers.
“The bulldozer is being used against those involved in criminal and mafia activities through a legal process. There is nothing wrong here. Their use will continue,” said Sharma.
The minister also said that the government was using the bulldozer against the “mafia and goondas” who flourished and grew during the rule of the Samajwadi Party (SP).
Sharma said that such elements had illegally grabbed land from poor and ordinary citizens as well as from the government.
His defiant stand came a day after Adityanath, speaking at an official event in Lucknow, left no stones unturned to gloat over his government’s use of bulldozers to demolish the property of accused persons.
“Not everyone’s hands can fit on a bulldozer,” said Adityanath.
“Iske liye dil aur dimaag dono chaiye. Bulldozer jaisi shramta aur drid pratigya jis mein ho, wohi bulldozer chala sakta hain [One needs both heart and mind for this. Only those who have the capability and determination of a bulldozer can use a bulldozer],” said the UP CM.
Adityanath, who was taking a swipe at SP chief Akhilesh Yadav for saying that if voted to power in 2027 he would redirect all bulldozers to Gorakhpur – the CM’s bastion – further said: “Those who rub their noses (surrender) before rioters will become dispirited by just the sight of a bulldozer.”
Ever since coming to power in 2017, Adityanath has authorised and promoted the unbridled use of bulldozers on the homes and commercial establishments of his political opponents as well as ordinary citizens.
On his radar have been several opposition leaders, including elected public representatives.
Soon after Adityanath’s comments on the use of bulldozers, Yadav responded to him with another jibe.
“If you and your bulldozer have been so successful, then form a new party and contest elections with the ‘bulldozer’ as the election symbol. Your misconception and arrogance will be shattered,” Yadav said.
He added: “Anyway, given your situation, even though you are in the BJP, you are as good as not there. You will have to form a new party, either today or tomorrow.”
This is not the first time that Yadav has threatened to use bulldozers against the BJP were he to return to power or criticised Adityanath for demolishing property through their use. Before the 2022 assembly election, Yadav promised that if voted to power he would manoeuvre the steering wheel of the bulldozer in a different direction.
Earlier this week, the apex court came down heavily against the use of bulldozers to demolish properties of those accused of crimes.
“How can anybody’s house be demolished only because he is an accused? Even if he is a convict, it can’t be done without following the procedure as prescribed by law,” Justice B.R. Gavai said.
