New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday, while hearing on a bunch of pleas, said it will lay down guidelines for the demolitions. The court further stated that India is a secular country and removal of illegal structures should not be on the basis of religion.
The bench comprising Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan was hearing petitions challenging bulldozer action against people accused of crimes. The SC made it clear that the violation of its guidelines will amount to contempt of court.
“We are a secular country and our directions will be for all, irrespective of religion or community. Of course, for encroachment we have said… if it is on a public road, footpath, water body or railway line area, it has to go, public safety is paramount. If there is any religious structure in the middle of the road, be it gurdwara or dargah or temple, it cannot obstruct public,” the court said.
Whatever we are laying down, we are a secular country. We are laying it down for all the citizens, for all the institutions not for any particular community,” the Supreme Court bench said.
Observing that there can’t be a different law for a particular religion, the bench said it will not protect any unauthorised constructions on public roads, government lands or forests.
“We will take care to ensure that our order does not help the encroachers on any of the public places,” the bench said. Earlier the court had observed that even one instance of illegal demolition was against the “ethos” of the Constitution.
