'Entire procedure followed during demolition drive in Nuh,' Haryana govt tells HC

The Haryana government on Friday informed the high court that it followed the "entire procedure" before conducting a demolition drive in the violence-hit Nuh district, asserting that it was not a case of ethnic cleansing.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had on Monday ordered a halt to the demolition drive, saying, "Apparently, without any demolition orders and notices, the law and order problem is being used as a ruse to bring down buildings without following the procedure established by law." As the matter came up for hearing on Friday, the government apprised the court that "it is not at all a matter of ethnic cleansing".

Speaking to reporters outside the court premises, state Additional Advocate General Deepak Sabharwal said, "We have apprised the court that it is not at all a matter of ethnic cleansing and the government never works like this. For us (govt), all are equal. Entire procedure (was) followed before the demolition was carried." Several 'illegally-constructed' structures were razed by authorities in Nuh earlier this month.

The action came after six people, including two home guards and a cleric, died in communal clashes that erupted in Nuh and spread to Gurugram.

The high court had on Monday directed the state government to furnish an affidavit as to how many buildings have been demolished in the last two weeks, both in Nuh and Gurugram, and whether any notice was issued before demolition.

"..The issue also arises whether the buildings belonging to a particular community are being brought down under the guise of law and order problem and an exercise of ethnic cleansing is being conducted by the state," the bench had said on Monday.