Hitting out at British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for inaugurating a JCB factory in Gujarat a day after the municipal corporation in Delhi razed homes in Jahangirpuri using bulldozers, Amnesty India called the move "ignorant," while also saying his "silence" on the incident was deafening. Earlier in the day, Johnson, who is on a two-day visit to India, inaugurated a factory of UK-headquartered heavy equipment maker JCB at Halol in Panchmahal district of Gujarat.
This comes a day after bulldozers tore down several concrete and temporary structures close to a mosque in Jahangirpuri as part of an anti-encroachment drive by BJP-ruled North Delhi Municipal Corporation, days after the northwest Delhi neighbourhood was rocked by communal violence. The Supreme Court had to intervene twice to stop the drive after it took cognizance of a petition filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind against the demolition.
Reacting sharply, Amnesty India tweeted, "In the backdrop of Municipal Corporation of Delhi using JCB bulldozers to raze down shops of Muslims in Northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri yesterday, UK Prime Minister's inauguration of a JCB factory in Gujarat is not only ignorant but his silence on the incident is deafening."
It further said that the UK government must not remain a mute bystander. “It must bring human rights to the discussion table. India cannot wait another day for justice.”
The demolition continued despite and in defiance of an order by the Supreme Court of India asking the authorities to stay the demolition exercise. The residents of Jahangirpuri were not even given an opportunity to salvage their possessions," Amnesty India said in another tweet.
The rights group also called these "brazen attacks" on the right to livelihood and adequate housing of religious minorities in India as an attack on their hopes for a secure future.
Boris Johnson climbed on a bulldozer and waved to the media after opening a new factory of UK-headquartered heavy equipment maker JCB at Halol in Panchmahals district of Gujarat. Johnson was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel during his visit to the factory of the bulldozer maker.
Later, during an inspection of the premises, Johnson suddenly climbed on a bulldozer kept at the factory. He remained seated inside the bulldozer for a few moments and then stood up on the heavy machine and waved at media persons covering his visit to the facility.
The visiting dignitary's act invited a lot of attention and became a talking point on social media platforms as it came in the backdrop of bulldozers being used to demolish homes and shops in some parts of the country in the last few days in the wake of communal riots, the latest being in Delhi's Jahangirpuri area which saw violence during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations.