BJP's victory in Delhi Polls could have been averted with opposition unity: Sanjay Raut
Mumbai: As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leads in the Delhi Assembly election trends, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has highlighted the impact of a divided opposition. He stated that while the contest remained tight, a Congress-AAP alliance could have altered the outcome.
Speaking to the media, Raut said, "The early trends indicate a sharp competition. Had Congress and AAP contested together, the results may have been different. Their political opponent was the BJP, and both aimed to keep it out of power, yet they fought separately. If they had united, BJP’s defeat would have been certain in the first hour of counting."
Omar Abdullah takes a dig at INDIA bloc allies
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also criticised the Congress and AAP for contesting separately in Delhi despite being part of the INDIA bloc. Sharing a meme on X, he sarcastically suggested that their infighting had cost them the election. The meme read, "Jee bhar kar lado. Samaapt kardo ek dusre ko!" (Fight to your heart's content. Finish each other off!), with Abdullah captioning it, "Aur lado aapas mein!!!"
According to the data from the Election Commission, the BJP is leading in 48 out of 70 seats, while AAP is ahead in 25. With 36 seats required for a majority, the BJP is poised to return to power in Delhi after over two decades.
In the previous election, AAP had secured 62 seats, aiming for a third consecutive term. However, the BJP’s resurgence and Congress’ failure to make a significant impact have reshaped the political scenario in the capital.
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‘Bulldozer Justice’ is like bulldozing the Constitution: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
New Delhi: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has strongly criticised the practice of demolishing the properties of individuals accused of crimes, equating it to bulldozing the Constitution and undermining the rule of law.
Speaking at the 13th Justice PN Bhagwati International Moot Court Competition on Human Rights at Bharati Vidyapeeth New Law College in Pune, Justice Bhuyan described the trend as "disturbing" and "depressing." He questioned the justification of such actions, often defended as targeting illegal structures, and highlighted their impact on the families of the accused.
"Using a bulldozer to demolish a property is like running a bulldozer over the Constitution. It is a negation of the very concept of the rule of law and, if not checked, would destroy the very edifice of our justice delivery system," he said, as quoted by Bar and Bench.
The practice of ‘bulldozer justice’ gained prominence in Uttar Pradesh under the Yogi Adityanath government in 2017 and has since been adopted in other states. The Supreme Court had previously deemed this approach unacceptable under the rule of law.
Justice Bhuyan emphasised that demolitions impact not just the accused but their families as well. "In that house, his mother stays there, his sister stays there, his wife stays there, his children stay there. What is their fault?" he asked. He further questioned whether it was justifiable to render an accused or even a convicted person homeless through such measures.
On the same day, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, responding to queries about the recent violence in Nagpur, indicated that the government might consider similar measures. "The Maharashtra government has its own style of working… bulldozer will roll when necessary," he said.
Violence erupted in central Nagpur following rumours that a sacred text was burnt during an agitation by a right-wing group demanding the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.
Justice Bhuyan, who was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2023 after serving as Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court, reiterated the importance of upholding due process and warned against actions that undermine constitutional principles.
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