The Bulldozer Politics on Mohammad Ali Jauhar University
Picture credit: Taken from the university’s official website.
The Rampur Development Authority (RDA) has recently issued an order to demolish the 38 buildings at Mohammad Ali Jauhar University. It gave the university 15 days to remove the “unauthorised” structures else the administration will proceed with the demolition. It states that the buildings were constructed without any approved building plans. The university argues that because Singankhera village was outside the RDA’s jurisdiction until September 27, 2024, its approval was not required for the campus construction and the buildings cannot now be declared illegal.
Since Bhartiya Janata party’s Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath came to power, the Uttar Pradesh government has repeatedly carried out demolitions under the guise of development and “bulldozer justice.”
Bulldozer Justice refers to extrajudicial demolition of properties linked to accused persons and property, bypassing due process and judicial adjudication. The bulldozer, in this context, is a “political machine,” a vehicle of injustice. The machine has become a tool for the BJP government to demolish the houses, stores, mosques and (now) universities. While the government has offered various justifications, including allegations of illegal construction and anti-national activities, but, in fact, the demolitions convey a broader message to the Muslims that their existence, educational and intellectual spaces are nothing but a threat to the ruling government. This is what called “ The Bulldozer Politics.”
On 17 July 2026, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) released a press condemning the demolition of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University as a biased, vindictive, and unjust action. It has urged the government to withdraw the demolition notice. The spokesperson of the Board, Dr. S. Q. R. Ilyaas said that the demolition is not merely against educational institution but also against the educational advancement of the Muslim community.
Punitive demolitions is criticised for violating the rule of law by bypassing due process. It also violates the constitutional rights such as Right to Equality (Article 14), Right to Life and Personal Liberty ( Article 21) that includes the Right to Shelter and Home, Right to Property (Article 300A) which mandates that no person shall be deprived of their property except by the authority of law, necessitating a fair and reasonable procedure before any state seizure or destruction.
It raises a serious question on the rule of law and judiciary: If constitutional guarantees can be bypassed through executive action, does “bulldozer justice” signify the erosion of the rule of law in favour of executive arbitrariness?
