“Bulldozer justice,” “targeting of minorities” must stop, say Kharge, Priyanka after MP demolition, arrests of Muslims : Valley Vision

Bulldozer “justice” has no place in a country governed by the rule of law and “repeated targeting of minorities” is deeply troubling, said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge Saturday.

His remarks come after the house of Shahzad Ali who is a Congress local leader was demolished by the authorities after he took part in a protest against derogatory remarks in Prophet Muhammed in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur district.

Kharge said demolishing someone’s home and rendering their family homeless is both “inhumane and unjust.”

Members of the Muslim community had organised a protest against derogatory remarks made against Prophet Muhammed made by Ramgiri Maharaj at Shah Panchale village in Sinnar taluk of Maharashtra’s Nashik district during a religious event a few days ago.

A case was registered against 150 protesters on Wednesday. Videos showed Madhya Pradesh Police parading Muslim men who were arrested. The police made them chant, ‘Committing crime is a sin; the police are our fathers.’

“The Congress Party strongly condemns the BJP state governments for their blatant disregard of the Constitution, using bulldozing as a tactic to instill fear among citizens. Anarchy cannot replace natural justice—offences must be adjudicated in courts, not through state-sponsored coercion,” Kharge said.

“Demolishing someone’s home and rendering their family homeless is both inhumane and unjust. Such actions have no place in a society governed by the Rule of Law. The repeated targeting of minorities in BJP-ruled states is deeply troubling,” the Congress chief added.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also said in a post on X that if someone was accused of a crime, then only the courts could decide on the crime and punishment.

“But punishing the family of the accused as soon as the allegation is made, taking away the roof from their heads, not following the law, disobeying the court, and demolishing the house of the accused as soon as the allegation is made – this is not justice. This is the height of barbarism and injustice,” Priyanka said.

She said there should be a difference between “lawmakers, law keepers and lawbreakers”. “Governments cannot behave like criminals. Obeying the law, constitution, democracy and humanity is the minimum condition of governance in a civilised society. One who cannot fulfil rajdharma [moral duty] can neither work for the welfare of the society nor the country. Bulldozer justice is completely unacceptable, it must stop,” Priyanka said.