Congress vs Congress: Chidambaram slams K'taka minister's bulldozer remark

Congress MP P Chidambaram voiced shock at Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara's suggestion to use bulldozers on drug peddlers' homes, calling the move illegal, unjust, and against the Congress party's official stance.

Congress MP P Chidambaram expressed shock over Karnataka Home Minister and fellow party member, G Parameshwara's remarks calling for the demolition of the structures constructed using money from drug peddling in the state.

In an X post, Chidambaram stated that Congress is against "bulldozer justice" and asked the Karnataka government not to go on the "illegal path" opposing the Supreme Court's view on demolition of houses. The Congress MP wrote, "I am alarmed by the reported statement of Karnataka's Home Minister that bulldozers may be used to demolish the homes of drug peddlers. I hope the report is wrong. The SC has declared the law: demolishing homes without due process of law is illegal and will violate the fundamental and human rights of other members of the family to a shelter."

"Besides, the Congress Party's view is that 'bulldozer justice' as practised in UP is wrong, illegal and unjust. Let not a Congress-governed state like Karnataka go down the illegal path of UP," he added.

Karnataka Minister's 'Bulldozer' Remark

Earlier on Thursday, G Parameshwara reportedly said in the State Assembly that the government will demolish the structures constructed using money from drug peddling.

Supreme Court's Stance on Demolitions

In the November 2024 Supreme Court order, which was referred to by Chidambaram, the two judge bench headed by former Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai, upholding the principle of innocence until proven guilty, found demolition of a house on the ground that one person residing in such a house is either an accused or convicted in the crime, amounts to inflicting a collective punishment on the entire family or the families residing in such structure.

"In our considered view, our constitutional scheme and the criminal jurisprudence would never permit the same," the apex court said.

The apex court directed that 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. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)