"Public Safety Paramount, Temple, Dargah On Road Must Go": Supreme Court

Public safety is paramount and any religious structure encroaching upon a road, water bodies, or rail tracks must go, the Supreme Court said today. The court stressed that India is a secular country and its directions for bulldozer action and anti-encroachment drives will be for all citizens, irrespective of their religion.

The bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan was hearing petitions challenging bulldozer action against people accused of crimes. The trend, which has caught on in several states, is often referred to as 'bulldozer justice'. The state authorities have, in the past, maintained that only illegal structures were demolished in such cases.