New Delhi : The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the use of bulldozers for razing houses and other buildings in various BJP-ruled states, terming it a a ploy to target minorities, especially Muslims, under the guise of crime prevention.

Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Maulana President Arshad Madani said: “The petition asks the court to order the states not to demolish anyone’s home or shop without the court’s permission. It is noteworthy that the politics of bulldozers is already going on in Uttar Pradesh, but now this nefarious act has started in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh as well.”

It noted that during a procession in Khargone city of Madhya Pradesh on the occasion of Ram Navami, “riots were started by chanting highly provocative slogans and then by order of the state government, houses and shops of Muslims were demolished. On the other hand, the Madhya Pradesh government is defending its cruel act.”

The petition names as respondents the Central government as well as the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, where Muslims have been targeted in recent days.

The petition has been prepared by advocate Sarim Naved after consultation with senior advocate Kapil Sibal while advocate on record Kabir Dixit has filed it online. A request for an early hearing on the petition may be made to the Chief Justice of India in the next few days.

Expressing his deep concern over the hatred and sectarianism that has been going on in the country for some time now, Maulana Madani said that “an atmosphere of religious extremism and hatred is prevailing across the country. Conspiracies are being hatched to intimidate minorities, especially Muslims”.

He said that provocations were taking place in Muslim localities and in front of mosques. “In the presence of the police, sticks and staffs are being waved and slogans are being chanted, and all are silent spectators. It seems as if there is no law left in the country, and no government can arrest them,” he said, adding that Muslims were being harassed by the sectarian forces, and the Central government was silent as if nothing had happened.

“The criminal manner in which the police and the administration have acted in support of the bullies in Khargone shows that enforcing the law is no longer their goal. If the police and the administration had shown even a little loyalty to the constitution, the Muslims in Karauli, Rajasthan would not have been targeted and their houses and businesses in Khargone would not have been destroyed.”

Maulana Arshad Madani said that they “have turned to the Supreme Court to bring justice to the oppressed people of the country, and to save the Constitution and democracy of the country, and to uphold the rule of law. We hope that justice will be done in this case as well as in other cases. Earlier, the Supreme Court had struck down the fine imposed by the UP government on peaceful protesters against the CAA and NRC, and reprimanded the government for it”.

He said that when the government fails to fulfill its constitutional duty, and remains silent to the voices of the oppressed, then courts are the only ray of hope for justice.

“We have received justice from the judiciary in the past so we are confident that we will get justice in this important case as other cases from the Supreme Court, and the court will make strong decision to protect secularism. Our legal struggle will continue till positive result.”— IANS