GENEVA — United Nations human rights experts have issued a strong statement urging the Government of India to immediately stop the practice of what they call “arbitrary and punitive demolitions” that disproportionately impact low-income families, religious minorities, migrants, and other vulnerable groups.
Describing such actions as “an aggravated form of human rights violation,” the experts expressed particular concern that these demolitions are often carried out without notice, due process, or provisions for alternative housing — leaving thousands homeless and further marginalized.
“Demolitions must never lead to homelessness and displacement,” the experts said. “Those evicted must have access to adequate alternative housing, resettlement, and compensation for any lost housing and property.”
They noted that despite the Indian Supreme Court’s ruling in the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind vs Union of India case, which mandated procedural safeguards against arbitrary demolitions, such demolitions have persisted — often under the guise of ‘anti-encroachment’ campaigns or claims of national security and illegal immigration.
“While victims of what has come to be known as ‘bulldozer justice’ include Hindu families, Muslim communities have been disproportionately targeted, particularly in the aftermath of communal violence or protests,” the experts observed.
Citing the latest instance of mass demolitions in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad city, the UN team highlighted the destruction of over 10,000 homes, businesses, and mosques across multiple waves of demolitions between April 29 and May 29, 2025, in areas like Chandola Lake and Siyasat Nagar. Thousands of residents — many of whom had lived in the area for decades — were left displaced without shelter or compensation.
“These demolitions destroy not just property, but lives and livelihoods,” the experts said. “They fuel social instability, widen communal divisions, and erode public trust in the legal and democratic institutions of the state.”
The experts criticized the frequent invocation of ‘national security’ and ‘foreign nationality’ as justifications for mass evictions, calling it a dangerous and unlawful pretext that sidesteps legal accountability.
They concluded by calling on India to ensure that urban development and law enforcement initiatives uphold both domestic legal protections and international human rights obligations.
“Development cannot come at the cost of dignity, justice, and equality,” the statement said. “India must align its practices with the human rights principles it has committed to uphold.”