In political ideology, Bhupendra Patel and Yogi Adityanath are joined at the hip. Called Bulldozer Baba, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath has been unrelenting in his stance on cleaning up criminal pockets in UP. It has earned him the nickname Bulldozer Baba.
Gujarat’s Chief Minister Patel has earned a similar reputation. They call him “Dada ka bulldozer”, very much in an affectionate sense.
The demolition drive in Gujarat started in 2022, with local authorities targeting illegal properties in coastal districts, citing “security reasons.” At the time, the government faced criticism for allegedly targeting a specific community. However, the drive has now expanded across the state, focusing on bootleggers and other anti-social elements involved in crimes such as rioting, property offenses, gambling, violent crimes, and illegal mining.
On March 15, Gujarat Police Chief Vikas Sahay launched a campaign to demolish the “illegal properties” of individuals on a police list, using bulldozers and JCBs. By last Friday, the list included 8,374 names, with 3,240 bootleggers. Demolitions have occurred at 77 locations, and 200 sites have had their electricity cut. The police adopted a “whole-of-government approach,” disconnecting illegal power lines, canceling bails, and monitoring bank transactions.
Justifying the strategy, which includes “parading” the accused in public, Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi told the Assembly last week that it was for the “safety and security” of the people. He claimed that most of the “illegal properties” being demolished were on government land. Referring to those facing action as “outsiders,” the minister said, “Such persons (who are encroaching on government land) come into my state, instigate riots … should their homes not be bulldozed? Don’t we all have the responsibility to provide security to the people of Ahmedabad?”
Sanghavi acknowledged that while “Dada’s bulldozer” might cause some trouble, it would not permit injustice to anybody in the state.
Director General of Police (DGP) Sahay told a national daily that an incident of rioting in Ahmedabad’s Vastral area on the night of March 13, marking Holika Dahan, made him determined to crack down on criminals with vigour. His “criminal-focused approach brought down property offences in the state, such as dacoity, loot, and theft, he said.
Following the incident in Vastral, the police, along with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, demolished the illegal properties of six of the 14 accused. Some of the accused were allegedly beaten up in public, the daily reported, adding that Sahay said that the police were sourcing critical data from the e-GujCop app. Every action, Sahay confirmed, was data-driven.
Expectedly, the Congress has opposed the manner in which the clean-up is being executed, with Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Amit Chavda saying the police action is discriminatory and only the poor were made scapegoats.
Also Read: Kunal Kamra Row: Hansal Mehta Recalls Facing Political Violence
