GENEVA: Independent human rights experts have asked India to immediately put an end to its practice of arbitrary and punitive demolitions affecting low-income households, minorities, and migrants.
“Arbitrary demolitions carried out for purportedly punitive reasons are an aggravated form of human rights violation, and are especially egregious when they target or discriminate against minorities or marginalised communities,” the experts said according to a statement issued by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Monday.
“Demolitions must never lead to homelessness and displacement, and those evicted must have access to adequate alternative housing, resettlement, and compensation for any lost housing and property,” they said.
The experts said that despite the Indian Supreme Court’s decision in Jamiat Ulama‑i‑Hind vs Union of India—which firmly established procedural safeguards against arbitrary demolitions—such practices continue.
They noted in this November 2024 ruling, the Court directed that no individual’s property may be demolished solely on the basis of criminal accusations or convictions without due process, videographic documentation, public portals, and official accountability measures.
“While victims of what has come to be known as ‘bulldozer justice’ include Hindu families, Muslim communities have been disproportionately targeted, particularly after religious violence or protests,” they said.
The experts pointed out that authorities frame these actions as part of broader ‘anti-encroachment campaigns’, and justify them by citing concerns of ‘national security’, and allegations about the presence of ‘illegal immigrants’. Yet, demolitions are routinely carried out without any investigation into the basis of such claims, they said.
“The communities impacted are not provided with adequate and reasonable notice, adequate resettlement, or alternative housing. Residents, who have often lived in these areas for decades, are left to witness their homes, shops, and places of worship lay flattened by bulldozers,” the experts said.
The latest example of this troubling trend is the demolition drive in the Chandola Lake area and nearby Siyasat Nagar in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Between April 29 and May 1, authorities demolished around 4,000 structures during Phase 1, including homes, businesses, and religious buildings.
In Phase 2, from May 20–21, approximately 8,500 additional structures were razed—including mosques and temples—under heavy police and municipal presence.
Then, on May 29, some 500 more structures were reportedly destroyed, leaving thousands displaced and homeless.
“Episodes like the latest demolitions in the Gujarat state not only displace thousands of individuals and families, depriving them of their means of livelihood, but also contribute to social instability, deepen divisions, and undermine public trust in the rule of law,” the experts said.
They stressed that ‘national security’ and ‘foreign nationality’ should never be used as a pretext to justify the forced eviction of communities without legal safeguards.
“India must ensure that urban development is pursued in a manner consistent with both domestic guarantees and international human rights standards,” the experts said.
