Bulldozers are back to send a chilling message

‘Bulldozer justice’ is back! The giant machine was invented more than a hundred year ago but even India’s British rulers did not dare to resort to it to keep our freedom fighters under check at the height of the movement for Independence.

They of course did indulge in other inhuman means including firing on innocent and unarmed protesters and also beating them up in a manner that would leave anyone cringing in fear and shame, but did not bulldoze.

This is the latest modus operandi adopted by state governments to send out a message to those indulging in protests that they would have to face the bulldozer sooner than later.

It has happened in the past in Prayagraj and Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and in Gujarat and Delhi and now, it has happened in violence-hit Nuh in Haryana.

A day ago, bulldozers rolled into the tense town, razing about 150 shanties and shops, mostly belonging to migrants and Muslims with authorities claiming that the demolition drive was already planned and not a knee-jerk reaction to the conflict in several towns in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

This has been the same excuse adopted by officials elsewhere to justify their bulldozing action.

There have been loud voices of protest against such undemocratic means adopted by state governments to stifle the voices of those who oppose their actions.

In fact months ago, eminent lawyers and former judges had written to the Chief Justice of India saying it (bulldozer action) was unacceptable and sought action against the repression against Muslims.

Former Union Minister and eminent lawyer Kapil Sibal in a hard-hitting statement said: “A bulldozer has no relevance to illegal structures, but has relevance to who I am and what I stand for”.

There are rulers – in fact many who have adopted repressive measures when pitted against the might of the people and when they felt the ground slipping from under their feet.

The victims, mostly the hapless poor and the minorities, always have the option of taking recourse to legal action with whatever limited means they have but are deterred from doing so by what they consider the ‘futility’ of the exercise after whatever they built up through the years as a dream, was brought down in minutes.

The only instance that comes to mind in the post-Independence era of bulldozers being deployed to get rid of those who did not fit in with the grandiose plans of rulers, was the use of the menacing machine to demolish shanties at Turkman Gate in New Delhi.

This happened at the height of the much-hated Emergency when then PM Indira Gandhi and son Sanjay Gandhi resorted to the use of bulldozers to pummel the poor and minorities into submission during their much criticised sterilisation drive.

Indira paid the price for this dictatorial act of hers. She was ousted from power by a popular opposition front led by Jayaprakash Narayan.

So as we move towards the next Parliament polls, now only eight months away, are we likely to see more and more repressive actions of this kind?

And even if people are found indulging in stone throwing or other illegal acts during processions taken out by other communities, isn’t it the normal procedure to order an inquiry, identify and act against the accused and take them to court for the necessary course of action rather than let the bulldozers roll into action?

We live in an age of democracy and have accepted a parliamentary system where every action is subject to the scrutiny of law. Any measure that reeks of intolerance and high-handedness has no place in a democratic society.

And unless this message is conveyed loud and clear by the citizenry by building up public pressure and by taking up legal recourse, such regressive acts are sure to gain momentum in the days to come.