India's Supreme Court bans 'bulldozer justice' often used against Muslims
India’s top court strongly criticized states that have demolished properties of suspected criminals, a practice critics say mostly targets minority Muslims.
India’s Supreme Court on Wednesday strongly criticized states that have demolished properties of suspected criminals, a practice critics say mostly targets minority Muslims, and issued guidelines to authorities.
The verdict came in response to many petitions filed after demolitions in recent years in states ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
BJP governments in the states have torn down what they say are illegal houses or shops of people accused of crimes, many of them Muslims, in what has come to be popularly known as “instant, bulldozer justice.”
Rights groups and opposition parties have denounced the practice, saying it mostly targets poor Muslims while circumventing the judicial process.
BJP governments have rejected the accusations and said such properties were in violation of local laws and the owners had been served notices.
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