Chandigarh: Taking a suo motu cognizance of the demolitions in Nuh and Gurugram districts of Haryana, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday halted the same observing that one of the issue arising was whether the state was conducting ``ethnic cleansing’’ and asked the state to file an affidavit about the details of numbers of buildings bulldozed during the past two weeks and whether it had issued notices before the action.
The bench of justice G S Sandhawalia and justice Harpreet Kaur Jeewan, observed in its order that it was constrained to issue notice to the state as it had come to its notice that the state of Haryana was using force and is demolishing buildings on account of the fact that some riots had occurred in Gurugram and Nuh without following the procedure established by law.
The bench held that the issue also arises whether the buildings belonging to a particular community are being brought down under the guise of law and order problem and an exercise of "ethnic cleansing" is being conducted by the state.
Referring to the news reports, the bench held that the action was said to be on the account of the fact that the individuals involved in the anti-social activities had carried out illegal constructions.
Referring to news reports, the bench, however, further held that the commercial and residential buildings which had been in existence for long, had been demolished. It also referred to a remark of home minister in which he had said that bulldozers were part of the "illaj" or treatment since the government was probing the communal violence.
Quoting Lord Acton’s quote that "power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely," the bench said that the Constitution protected the citizens and the demolitions, as such, could not be carried out without following the procedure prescribed in law and issued notice to state for August 11.
Curfew relaxed for 4 hours
Meanwhile, the curfew was relaxed on Monday for four hours in Nuh – 9 am till 1 pm, though the mobile internet services continued to be suspended in several parts of the National Capital Region (NCR). Till Sunday, the relaxation during the curfew was between 9 am and noon.
Meanwhile, according to another report, the prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC in Gurugram had been revoked.
Number of arrests rises to 286
Meanwhile, state home minister Anil Vij on Monday said that while 286 suspects had been arrested in as many as 137 FIRs, as many as 98 persons had been detained for questioning so far in the communal clashes and violence that took place in Nuh and adjoining areas.
