The Supreme Court refused to entertain the CPM's plea against the demolitions carried out by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation in Shaheen Bagh and other areas, objecting to what it said a "political party approaching the court".
Shaheen Bagh, which came to the limelight during the anti-citizenship law protests a couple of years ago, saw a fresh demolition drive today. But the demolition was stopped after the intervention of the local MLA and the market association, along with locals pulling down temporary structures.
The CPM's plea was set to be heard today along with other petitions against the Jahangirpuri demolitions. The party withdraw its plea after the Supreme Court asked them to approach the High Court.
Shaheen Bagh Demolitions Supreme Court Hearing Highlights:
"Not Targeting Any Community": Delhi Civic Body On #Jahangirpuri Demolition https://t.co/II21WCRPkO
- NDTV (@ndtv) May 9, 2022
NDTV's Sukirti Dwivedi reports pic.twitter.com/C6cSZ91Q0Z
Shaheen Bagh and adjoining areas in Delhi witnessed traffic issues on Monday after protests erupted there with hundreds of people, including women, opposing an anti-encroachment drive of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), officials said. The protests erupted as bulldozers rolled into the area in the presence of a huge number of police personnel, including senior officers, causing traffic snarls at Shaheen Bagh, Kalindi Kunj, Jaitpur, Sarita Vihar and Mathura Road, among other places. (PTI)
The Supreme Court refuses to entertain CPM's plea against the demolitions carried out by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation in Shaheen Bagh and other areas. Objecting to a "political party approaching court", it said it would have intervened if an aggrieved party had approached them. The Supreme Court asked CPM to withdraw it plea and approach the High Court, following which the CPM withdrew its plea.
"Congress and AAP supporting terrorist, illegal immigrants like Rohingyas": Adesh Kumar Gupta, Delhi BJP Chief #ShaheenBagh pic.twitter.com/A1HRbTWTgr
- NDTV (@ndtv) May 9, 2022
"If illegal immigrants are living in Delhi, it shows the failure of the Home Minister. Shouldn't the Union Home Minister resign?" Imran Pratapgarhi, Congress leader pic.twitter.com/QkaEOLNZ2c
- NDTV (@ndtv) May 9, 2022
No notice was needed to be issued under the provisions of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act for such removal, the NDMC said. The NDMC says that after the order of the Supreme Court to maintain status quo, those who were removed from public roads came back and occupied the footpaths again. It said the petitioner has willfully and deliberately suppressed information to sensationalize the issue. Unless a court's stay order is shown such drives will continue, the NDMC asserted.
The North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has filed its response in the Supreme Court stating that it is not targeting any community. In an affidavit it said no house was demolished and called the petitioners' allegations as "blatant falsehood" for which they should be prosecuted. The petitioners in the case are Jamat Ulama-i-Hind and CPM leader Brinda Karat.
- 10 am: Civic body team arrives at Shaheen Bagh G Block market
- 10:15 am: A bulldozer arrives at the spot
- 10:30 am: A Delhi Police team along CRPF personnel reach the spot
- 10:45 am: Congress activists stage protest in front of the bulldozer
- 11 am: Congress protesters detained by police
- 11:15 am: Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan arrives at the spot
- 11:30 am: A bulldozer reaches to a scaffolding put up for painting
- 12 pm: The MLA and the market association intervene and assured the civic body that the scaffolding will be removed
- 12:30 pm: The scaffolding removed by the locals
- 12:45 pm: The bulldozer and the civic body officials leave the spot
AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan said there are no illegal encroachment in the Shaheen Bagh area and that he himself had removed all illegal structures. He alleged the civic body and the BJP are playing politics.
The South Delhi Municipal Corporation began a demolition drive today in Delhi's Shaheen Bagh, but stopped a while later.
#WATCH | Delhi: AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan join the protest at Shaheen Bagh amid the anti-encroachment drive here. pic.twitter.com/4MJVGoku39
- ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2022
Delhi | Locals sit on roads and stop bulldozers that have been brought for the anti-encroachment drive in the Shaheen Bagh area. pic.twitter.com/EQJOWBzAxS
- ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2022
"Now it is reliably understood that they would be demolishing the buildings in Shaheen Bagh and others between May 9 and 13," the plea says. "It is most respectfully submitted that the political executive of respondent municipal corporation is maliciously indulging in a political game plan." The plea says the action was "absolutely and manifestly arbitrary" and without following any due process of law.
The CPM's plea claims no proper show-cause notice or time was given to those residing/working there by SDMC and other concerned authorities. It says the SDMC's action was a violation of fundamental rights. While authorities demolished buildings with bulldozers in Sangham Vihar on May 4, a drive in Kalindi Kunj was not undertaken as per schedule as there was no sufficient police force, the plea adds.
CPM's plea was filed yesterday and mentions that the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) plans to carry out demolition in Shaheen Bagh, while in some other areas demolition already done. The plea says the SDMC has carried out a highly illegal and inhumane action to demolish buildings of the people of South Delhi which is in total violation of principles of natural justice, statutes and the constitution - under the guise of encroachment removal programme.