Prophet Mohammad Row: `It`s illegal to break houses with bulldozers`, ex-Judge to Yogi government

Nupur Sharma comment row: UP violence accused Javed Ahmed`s `illegally constructed` residence was demolished on Sunday (June 13).

New Delhi: After the protests in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh against suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma's comments on Prophet Mohammad, the alleged mastermind of Friday's violence Javed Ahmed's 'illegally constructed' residence was demolished on Sunday (June 13). The demolition process began around afternoon in the UP district. According to reports, the Police force and a JCB machine reached Javed Ahmed's residence at 1 pm which is when the demolition process began. 

The Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) mentioned that it had earlier put a demolition notice at the residence. However, Govind Mathur, former Allahabad High Court Chief Justice, termed the demolition prcess as illegal as told to Indian Express. 

Ex-judge on demolition of Javed Ahmed's 'illegally constructed' home

He told the Indian Express, "Even if you assume for a moment that the construction was illegal, which by the way is how crores of Indians live, it is impermissible that you demolish a house on a Sunday when the residents are in custody. It is not a technical issue but a question of rule of law."

For the unversed, ex-judge Mathur, in 2020, had spoken up against the hoardings that were put up of people who protested against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Lucknow and called it 'absolute encroachment' on people's personal liberty.

Prayagraj violence: CM Yogi had issued a warning to 'anti-social' people

Earlier, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had issued a warning against the perpetrators of violence in the state. "Strictest action will be taken against the anti-social elements involved in the chaotic efforts to spoil the atmosphere in various cities in the past few days. There is no place for such anti-social people in a civilised society. No innocent should be harassed, but not a single guilty should be spared."

Under Adityanath, the state administration has been cracking down on criminals and riot accused, seizing or razing their properties. His critics have often accused him of adopting strong-arm tactics.

Why were there protests in UP's Prayagraj?

On Friday (June 10), people pelted stones at police personnel in Prayagraj and Saharanpur during their protests after Friday prayers in mosques against suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma's comments on Prophet Muhammad.

(With agency inputs)