The BJP-led Haryana government on Friday told the Punjab and Haryana high court that question of “ethnic cleansing” in the demolition exercise carried out in Nuh and Gurugram, following communal violence on July 31, does not arise and that the demolition was undertaken as per the law, reported PTI.
The government told a bench of Justices Arun Pillai and Jagmohan Bansal that notices were issued as per the law and rules were followed to carry out the demolitions. It was responding to the Court which had issued a strongly-worded order halting the demolitions, using an ‘ethnic cleansing’ reference.
Questioning the demolition drive in Nuh and Gurugram following communal violence on July 31, the High Court earlier this week had asked if the properties of a “particular community” were targeted “under the guise of a law and order problem”, and an “exercise of ethnic cleansing” was being conducted.
As the hearing began on Friday, Additional Advocate General Deepak Sabherwal told the bench that it was not a case of ethnic cleansing and proper procedures were adopted for the demolition drives in Nuh and Gurugram. The counsel for the state also sought additional time for filing a detailed reply in the matter, stating that the date is being compiled, reported Hindustan Times.
Demolition exercise which began in Nuh on August 3, four days after the communal violence, and continued till August 7, when the High Court intervened and stayed it.
Around 1,200 properties were targeted by the authorities, almost all belonging to Muslim communities, on the grounds that they were encroachments or owned by those involved in the violence, as per HT.
The matter will now be placed for the Chief Justice, who has not been holding court over the last few days.
