The civic authorities in Gujarat’s Himmatnagar carried out a demolition drive in opposition to unlawful buildings on Tuesday, days after a communal conflict had damaged out within the metropolis throughout the Ram Navami celebrations. This got here in wake of comparable crackdowns in Madhya Pradesh and Delhi, the place communal violence marred Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti.
Bulldozers had been getting used to take away encroachments in Chhapariya locality of Himmatnagar metropolis in Sabarkantha district. “In today’s anti-encroachment drive, we removed 3-4 kiosks, 2-3 shanties and a two-storey shop building on T P Road in Chhaparia,” mentioned Navneet Patel, chief municipal officer of Himmatnagar.
“About three metres of the 15-metre road was encroached on by the building owners who had extended the illegal construction. We had sent notices in 2020. It was a routine anti-encroachment drive and nothing to do with the incidents that occurred on April 10. We will continue to take similar action in other areas as well,” Patel mentioned.
A communal conflict had damaged out close to Chhapariya space throughout a Ram Navami procession on April 10, when members from two communities resorted to pelting stones, leaving some folks injured. Some autos had been additionally set on hearth throughout the conflict.
The Anand district administration had additionally earlier carried out a demolition drive utilizing bulldozers to take away buildings owned by folks allegedly concerned in communal clashes in Khambhat city there throughout the Ram Navami celebration.
On April 10, a Ram Navami procession was additionally allegedly pelted with stones in Khambhat city. One individual was killed and several other others had been injured within the ensuing violence.
Over the final month, demolition drives in areas hit by communal violence had been witnessed in MP and Delhi. On April 11, a day after communal clashes erupted throughout Ram Navami procession in Khargone in MP, the native administration demolished at the very least 20 homes and retailers in 4 localities.
On April 20, following communal clashes throughout a Hanuman Jayanti procession in north Delhi’s Jahangirpuri, authorities from the BJP-ruled municipal physique demolished elements of a number of buildings, together with the outside gate of a spot of worship.
The MCD’s anti-encroachment drive was, nevertheless, stopped by the Supreme Court for 2 weeks because it acted on a plea alleging that the demolitions had been focusing on a particular group.
Source: www.financialexpress.com”