The Supreme Court has put a stop to bulldozer actions in the country till October 1. However, the court has made it clear that this order would not apply to bulldozer actions against encroachments on public paths, railway lines, footpaths, ponds, and public roads.
Several political parties had been crying foul after bulldozer actions on the houses of criminals. Interestingly it is not the first time that bulldozers have been used against such persons which has become a subject of discussion in nearly all the circles in the country.
Bulldozers were used to bring down 4039 houses during the emergency era in the country.
The Shah Commission had clearly said that most of the buildings in Delhi were demolished following orders of Sanjay Gandhi, son of late Indira Gandhi who had declared a state of emergency in the country.
In Delhi alone, 1248 buildings were demolished during the emergency clamp on the country. 425 buildings were brought down in Uttar Pradesh, 300 in Haryana,628 in Madhya Pradesh, 251 in Orissa, 226 in Bihar,204 in West Bengal, and 163 in Rajasthan.
The Shah Commission report mentions that many arbitrary actions had been taken by the authorities during the emergency and this had rendered thousands of poor homeless.
