SC verdict must serve as turning point in hate campaigns against Muslims: Amnesty International

New Delhi: Welcoming the Supreme Court verdict on bulldozer actions, Amnesty International said on Wednesday that the landmark judgment must serve as a "turning point" in the "hate campaigns" against Muslims.

In a statement, the international non-governmental organisation focused on human rights said the verdict should put an end to the "climate of impunity" around the "cruel and inhuman practice of punishing people by unlawfully demolishing their homes and properties".

"This landmark judgment by the Supreme Court of India should put an end to the climate of impunity around the cruel and inhuman practice of punishing people by unlawfully demolishing their homes and properties," Agnes Callamard, secretary general of Amnesty International, said.

"We hope this judgment will mark a turning point to deter campaigns of hate, harassment and violence against minorities in India. Never again should such deeply unjust and unlawful actions be repeated in the country," she said.

Callamard said the ruling reaffirms what Amnesty International has previously documented -- "that such illegal demolitions, often instigated at the highest levels of the government against Muslims in particular, have repeatedly undermined the rule of law and due process".

"Such lawlessness should never have been actioned and celebrated as 'bulldozer justice' in the first place," she said.

Amnesty International called on the chief ministers of various states, including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Assam and Gujarat, who the organisation said have partaken in the "unconstitutional actions", to uphold the Supreme Court guidelines and implement those at the earliest.

"Individuals who have been subjected to forced evictions, collective and arbitrary punishment, in violation of both the Indian Constitution and international human rights law, must be provided immediate compensation.

"Finally, the authorities which were part of the illegal demolition drives must be held accountable," Callamard said.

Coming down hard on "bulldozer justice", the Supreme Court on Wednesday laid down pan-India guidelines on demolition of properties and said the executive cannot become a judge, declare an accused guilty and demolish his house.

Passing a slew of directions, a division bench of the court said, "No demolition should be carried out without a prior show-cause notice returnable either in accordance with the time provided by the local municipal laws or within 15 days from the date of service of such notice, whichever is later." The apex court said it will be "totally unconstitutional" if houses of people are demolished merely because they are accused or even convicts.

The statement added that Amnesty International released two reports in February, documenting the arbitrary and punitive demolitions in at least five Indian states in a hate campaign against the minority community for protesting against discriminatory laws and practices.