Priyanka Gandhi Slams Property Demolitions Of Accused as "Height Of Barbarism" (Photo on X @priyankagandhi)

Taking a firm stand against the increasing cases of demolishing properties, including homes, businesses, buildings, and places of worship by the government, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi today asserted that the government cannot behave like criminals. She also called the act “the height of barbarism and injustice.”

According to a report by Frontline Magazine, over 1,50,000 homes were razed, leaving at least 7,38,000 people homeless in the last two years. Notably, the minorities, especially Muslims and other marginalised groups, are the major victims of the bulldozer breaking their brick walls, the media house highlighted.

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Earlier in 2024, human rights watch, Amnesty International called on Indian authorities to “immediately stop unjust targeted demolition of Muslim properties,” noting that the JCB has been weaponized as a tool to target the minorities in the country. Notably, there have been several instances of demolishing the houses of Muslims accused of causing religious tensions and other crimes, allegedly as punishment.

In a social media post, the Congress leader said that if someone is accused of an offense, then only the court can decide his crime and the punishment, underscoring that it is not justice to punishing the accused’s family, taking away the roof from over their heads, not following the law, disobeying the court, and demolishing the house of the accused as soon as the accusation is made.

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Attacking the BJP-led government at the Centre and various states, which has been allegedly engaging in the ‘Bulldozer Raj,’ a reference used to refer the government using the machine to demolish houses, Priyanka further stated that there should be a difference between the law makers, the law keepers, and the law breakers.

“Governments cannot behave like criminals. Obeying the law, constitution, democracy, and humanity is the minimum condition of governance in a civilized society,” the Congress leader wrote, emphasizing that one who cannot fulfill his duty can neither do good for the society nor for the country.

अगर कोई किसी अपराध का आरोपी है तो उसका अपराध और उसकी सजा सिर्फ अदालत तय कर सकती है। लेकिन आरोप लगते ही आरोपी के परिवार को सजा देना, उनके सिर से छत छीन लेना, कानून का पालन न करना, अदालत की अवहेलना करना, आरोप लगते ही आरोपी का घर ढहा देना- यह न्याय नहीं है। यह बर्बरता और अन्याय की…

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) August 24, 2024