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‘Dil’ and ‘dimaag’ required to handle bulldozer: Yogi
Only the strong-willed with bulldozer resolve can operate one, those who yield to rioters can’t run it, he said
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Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday batted for his “bulldozer politics” that has been at the centre of the storm for various reasons in Uttar Pradesh.
His move comes even as the opposition termed bulldozer justice as unconstitutional with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav leading the attack. The Supreme Court on Monday had said it will lay down guidelines to regulate demolitions across India.
Hitting back at Yadav, the chief minister on Wednesday asserted that running a bulldozer requires courage, intellect, and determination. Only the strong-willed with bulldozer resolve can operate one, those who yield to rioters can’t run it, he said at an event here.
Yogi chose the moment to reclaim the bulldozer brand of politics, with which he is identified, in the backdrop of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s announcement on Tuesday that after formation of the Samajwadi Party government in 2027, the bulldozers of the entire state will head towards Gorakhpur (the home turf of Adityanath).
Adityanath said, “Not everyone’s hands can fit on a bulldozer. It requires both ‘dil and dimaag’ (heart and mind). Only someone with bulldozer-like capability and determination can operate it. Those who bow before the rioters will not be able to stand in front of a bulldozer.”
“Iske liye dil aur dimaag dono chahiye (it takes both brains and courage). Bulldozer jaise kshamta aur dridh pratigya jismein ho wahi bulldozer chala sakta hai (One should have stamina and resilience like a bulldozer to handle it),” he said.
Yogi’s bulldozer politics has been a key aspect of his governance -- quick action by demolishing illegal properties of the mafias, rape accused and rioters. The model has been adopted by the BJP-ruled states.
After a setback in Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 Lok Sabha election where the BJP’s tally in the state was reduced to 33 from 62, Adityanath is trying to bring bulldozer politics back in the public discourse.
After the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh in the 2017 assembly election, the use of bulldozers to demolish illegal structures raised on government land by the mafias, gangsters and land grabbers earned Yogi Adityanath the “bulldozer baba” tag.
The bulldozer turned into a political machine to send the message that the Yogi government was harsh against criminals and committed to the security of the people.
Illegal buildings owned by notorious gangsters like Vikas Dubey, Atiq Ahmed and Mukhtar Ansari were demolished in various districts.
Adityanath had announced that the land recovered after the demolition of the illegal properties will be used for the construction of the houses for the weaker sections, community purpose and the construction of playgrounds for children.
In the 2022 assembly election, the BJP highlighted bulldozer action against the dreaded mafias.
Adityanath’s rhetoric that BJP government will bulldoze the houses of those involved in the crime against women and weaker sections of the society caught the imagination of the people. The BJP retained power and formed a majority government for the second time in a row.
Soon, the bulldozer action in U.P. captured the imagination of the other BJP-ruled states, including Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra and Assam. The bulldozer was used to demolish the illegal structures, as well as the properties of criminals, in various states to send a message of speedy justice.
Recently, an illegal multi-storey complex owned by Samajwadi Party functionary Moeed Khan, accused in a rape case, was demolished by the Ayodhya district administration.
In a separate case, a cold storage owned by an aide of Nawab Singh Yadav, the accused in the Kannauj rape case, was demolished by the administration drawing criticism from the Samajwadi Party.
Speaking in a programme to distribute appointment letters to 1,334 junior engineers, computer operators, and foremen selected by the Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission, Adityanath on Wednesday said those who looted the state before 2017 now see their dreams shattered, with even “Tipu” (nickname of Akhilesh Yadav) trying to become a Sultan. He compared these aspirations to the fantasies of the old TV show “Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne.”
“When the people entrusted them with power, they left no stone unturned in jeopardising the future of the state’s youth, creating an identity crisis for young aspirants, businesses, and entrepreneurs,” he said.
In the past, leaders of the ruling parties, through their anarchic and corrupt activities, pushed the state into the flames of riots, creating a crisis of identity for the youth of the state, he alleged.
These leaders, who once incited caste and religious conflicts, now seek to mislead the people of Uttar Pradesh by adopting new guises, he said.
Reacting to the SP chief’s bulldozer threat, BJP MP from Gorakhpur Ravi Kishan said Gorakhpur is land of Guru Goraknath and the Hindus revere the temple there.
“The SP chief is indulging in politics of appeasement by threatening the Hindus with bulldozer,” he said.
BJP state spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said, “The SP chief is indulging in politics of vendetta and hate by announcing to run bulldozer in Gorakhpur. The people will not tolerate anarchy and give a befitting reply to the SP chief in the 2027 assembly election.”
Professor SK Dwivedi, a political observer and former head of Lucknow University’s political science department, said, “The threat and counter-threat by the BJP and Samajwadi Party to the use of bulldozers shows the politics of vengeance between the two major parties that will weaken the parliamentary democracy of our country.”
“The upcoming by-election for 10 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh has charged up the political atmosphere in the state. After a setback in the Lok Sabha election, the BJP is aiming to win the maximum seats while the SP is working to maintain the winning streak. The bulldozer is again at the centre stage of state politics,” he said.
Hearing a petition over the rising trend of bulldozer justice in various states, the Supreme Court on Monday said it would issue guidelines to regulate demolitions across India.
A bench of Justices Bhushan R Gavai and KV Viswanathan said how a house could be demolished simply because someone is accused of a crime, noting that even a conviction does not justify such an action without following proper legal procedures.
The court highlighted the need for standardized guidelines across all states to prevent arbitrary demolitions, pointing out that even in cases of unauthorized constructions, the process must be conducted in accordance with the law.
