Protest against hate crimes and the illegal ‘Bulldozer Raj’
Protest against hate crimes and the illegal ‘Bulldozer Raj’
Dehradun, June 19
Various civil society organizations and major opposition parties, today staged a protest to express their outrage over the violence that erupted in Bairagiwala following a murder and the subsequent failure of the police, and the use of bulldozers for illegal demolitions, at Gandhi Park here.
Seeking punishment for the murderers, the protesters pointed out that the stone-pelting, arson targeting homes, and attacks on vehicles that followed the killing were also serious crimes, yet no action appears to have been taken against the responsible individuals and organizations. They further stated that demolishing the accused’s house with a bulldozer—in flagrant violation of the law and contempt of Supreme Court rulings—constitutes a criminal act. Speakers remarked that since the current government assumed power, it seems certain organizations have been given a free hand to attack the police, damage public and private property, and assault innocent people without facing any consequences. Such violent incidents have repeatedly surfaced in areas ranging from Purola to Uttarkashi and Nainital to Dehradun, yet the police administration often fails to even arrest the perpetrators after such crimes.
Members of a fact-finding team that visited the Bairagiwala area addressed the protest, reporting that residents’ private property had been set ablaze, vehicles vandalized, and shops and homes demolished illegally. Consequently, the protesters demanded strict punishment for Vinod Kashyap’s murderers, immediate arrest and legal prosecution of those involved in arson, stone-pelting, and vandalism, action against the officials or organizations responsible for the bulldozer demolitions, immediate administrative measures to restore peace and harmony so that displaced families can return and strict action—in accordance with Supreme Court directives—against organizations responsible for the recurring violent crimes committed in the name of religion across the state.
Political parties were represented at protest by senior Congress leaders Sanjay Sharma, Sujata Paul, Shivani Thapliyal and Yakub Siddiqui, Samar Bhandari (National Council member, Communist Party of India), Rajendra Purohit (State Secretary) and Shiv Prasad Deoli (District General Secretary) of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and Indresh Maikhuri (State Secretary) of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist). Representatives from people’s organizations included Kamala Pant and Vimala Kohli (Uttarakhand Mahila Manch), Harbir Singh Kushwaha (Sarvodaya Mandal), Trilochan Bhatt and Hari Om Pali (Uttarakhand Insaniyat Manch), Shankar Gopal, Sunita Devi, Pappu, Sanjay, and Shailesh (Chetna Andolan), Latafat Hussain (Tanzim-e-Rahnuma-e-Millat), Bhopal (Krantikari Lok Adhikar Sangathan), Lekharaj, general secretary, CITU, Vijay Bhatt of People’s Science Movement.Himanshu Chauhan state Secretary of SFI and Kuldeep, Samarth, and other associates (Mazdoor Sangharsh Sangathan), alongside members of other organizations and concerned citizens. Dr. Satyanarayan Sachan, National Secretary of the Samajwadi Party, also extended his support.
