The Haryana government on Friday told the Punjab and Haryana high court that the question of “ethnic cleansing” in the demolition exercise carried out in Nuh and Gurugram does not arise and the same has been undertaken as per the law.
As the hearing began before the bench of justice Arun Palli and justice Jagmohan Bansal, on Friday morning, the state’s additional advocate general, Deepak Sabherwal verbally told the court that it was not a case of “ethnic cleansing at all and due procedure has been followed for demolition in both Nuh and Gurugram”.
Sabherwal, however, sought more time to file a written statement stating that the data is being compiled.
Case referred back to chief justice
Amid this, the bench, however, said that it was referring the matter back to the chief justice. “It was a public interest litigation (PIL) matter and as per high court rules….., should have been listed for hearing before the first division bench.., the bench orally said, before posting the matter for hearing next week.
The PIL cases were assigned for hearing before this bench on Friday. The first division bench is presided over by chief justice RS Jha himself. But he is on leave. Detailed order on Friday’s proceedings is awaited.
{{/usCountry}}The PIL cases were assigned for hearing before this bench on Friday. The first division bench is presided over by chief justice RS Jha himself. But he is on leave. Detailed order on Friday’s proceedings is awaited.
{{/usCountry}}On August 7, a division bench comprising justice GS Sandhawalia and justice Harpreet Kaur Jeewan had taken suo motu cognisance of the demolitions and observed that the law-and-order situation was being “used as a ruse” to pull buildings without due process. The bench asked if the action was an “exercise of ethnic cleansing” by the state. It had then sought a report on the demolitions and asked the government to clarify whether advance notices were given to the occupants of the buildings brought down during the drive.
After the clashes, around 1,200 properties were targeted by the authorities, on the grounds that they were encroachments.
The demolition exercise began in Nuh on August 3, four days after communal violence erupted in the district on July 30 during a Hindu religious procession, injuring several and killing at least five. The violence eventually spiralled and spread to neighbouring districts, including Gurugram, where mobs set afire a mosque and pillaged several shops and restaurants. The demolitions continued till the morning of August 7, when the high court intervened and questioned the government over the manner it was being carried out.