In an affidavit filed on August 17, the Deputy Commissioner Dhirendra Khadgata said that the demolition operation in Nuh, an area with a predominantly Muslim population, impacted a total of 354 individuals of which 71 were Hindus and 283 were Muslims.
Further, out of the 38 shops demolished, 55 percent belonged to Hindus and 45 percent to minorities, it was submitted.
The government’s actions were not influenced by a selective approach based on caste, creed or religion, the affidavit underscored.
The reply was filed in response to a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) petition currently pending before the High Court on the demolitions in Nuh that were carried out after communal clashes broke out in the area.
It was alleged in various news reports that the demolition drive targeted Muslim community alone.
The High Court had taken suo motu cognisance of the incident on August 7 and had also expressed concern as to whether buildings owned by a specific community are being demolished, potentially indicating an ethnic cleansing effort by the State.
While staying the demolition drive on August 7, the High Court had remarked that buildings in Nuh and Gurugram were being demolished without the issuance of proper demolition orders and notices.
It had, therefore, directed the State of Haryana to file an affidavit detailing the number of buildings that were demolished within the past two weeks in both Nuh and Gurugram and whether any notices were issued before such demolitions.
Source: Barandbench
