Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Friday, December 12, criticised the Karnataka government’s proposal to emulate the BJP’s ‘bulldozer justice’ by threatening to demolish properties allegedly linked to drug trafficking. The former Union Minister cautioned that a Congress-ruled state should not resort to the “illegal path” of bulldozer-driven enforcement seen in BJP-ruled states.
Reacting to remarks by Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara, Chidambaram said he was alarmed by reports suggesting that the homes of alleged drug peddlers could be razed. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the former Union minister stressed that demolitions carried out without due legal process are “unconstitutional” and violate the fundamental and human rights of family members who may have no link to the alleged offence. He reminded the state government that the Supreme Court has clearly held such actions to be illegal.
“I am alarmed by the reported statement of Karnataka’s Home Minister that bulldozers may be used to demolish the homes of drug peddlers. I hope the report is wrong. The Supreme Court has declared the law: demolishing homes without due process of law is illegal and violates the fundamental and human rights of other members of the family to shelter,” Chidambaram wrote.
He also reiterated the Congress party’s opposition to what he described as “bulldozer justice.” “The Congress Party’s view is that bulldozer justice, as practised in Uttar Pradesh, is wrong, illegal and unjust. A Congress-governed state like Karnataka must not go down that path,” he added.
Chidambaram’s remarks came after Parameshwara, responding to a question in the Legislative Council on the growing drug menace in Bengaluru, Davangere and coastal districts, outlined a series of stringent measures taken since the Congress government assumed office. The Home Minister said the state had stepped up enforcement, seized large quantities of narcotics and dismantled several trafficking networks.
During the discussion, Parameshwara referred to the alleged involvement of some foreign nationals, including students from African countries, in drug-related offences. He said that while cases were being registered, legal procedures often delayed deportation. According to him, around 300 foreign nationals had been deported after completing formalities. He added that the government was also acting against local landlords who rented out properties to offenders, including through arrests and demolitions. “We have gone to the extent of demolishing the rented building where they stay,” he said.
A November 2024 Supreme Court ruling by a two-judge Bench headed by then Chief Justice of India B R Gavai had held that demolishing a house solely because one resident is accused or convicted amounts to collective punishment of an entire family, which is impermissible under the Constitution. The court reiterated that criminal law is founded on the principle of innocence until proven guilty.
The apex court also directed that no demolition could be carried out without issuing a prior show-cause notice in accordance with municipal laws, and not before 15 days from the date of service. “Our constitutional scheme and criminal jurisprudence would never permit such actions,” the court observed.
Parameshwara, however, maintained that the government’s crackdown was part of a broader effort to make Karnataka drug-free. He said the Chief Minister had assured the legislature that the state would continue to take firm action against narcotics trafficking and those who facilitate it, including by targeting properties linked to the illegal trade.