This is an archive article published on August 18, 2023
No pick-and-choose policy behind Nuh demolitions: Haryana
The district administration has said that a total of 354 people were affected by the recent demolition drive in Haryana's Nuh, of which 283 were Muslims and 71 were Hindus.
4 min readChandigarhUpdated: Aug 19, 2023 01:05 AM IST
Questioning the demolition drive, the high court earlier this week asked if the properties of a “particular community” had been targeted “under the guise of a law and order problem” and if an “exercise of ethnic cleansing” was being conducted. (File)
No pick-and-choose policy behind Nuh demolitions: Haryana
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DENYING ANY “pick-and-choose policy” and maintaining that due procedure was followed, the district administration has said that a total of 354 people were affected by the recent demolition drive in Haryana’s Nuh, of which 283 were Muslims and 71 were Hindus.
Seeking to put the numbers in perspective, it has cited the 2011 Census data to point out that Muslims account for over 79 per cent of the total population in Nuh.
On August 7, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had raised questions on the demolition drive, asking whether properties of a “particular community” were targeted “under the guise of a law and order problem”, and an “exercise of ethnic cleansing” was being conducted. It had asked the state government to file an affidavit on how many buildings had been demolished, and if any notice was issued before demolition.
“The total structures demolished were 443 of which 162 were permanent and 281 were temporary. Similarly, the number of persons affected from the demolition drive were 354, of which 71 were Hindus and 283 were Muslims,” the Nuh Deputy Commissioner, Dhirendra Khadgata, has said in a 400-page affidavit.
While Additional Advocate General of Haryana, Deepak Sabherwal, sought to submit the affidavit on Friday, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha and Justice Arun Palli directed him to file it in the court registry. The affidavit is set to be filed on Saturday.
Citing the 2011 Census, the affidavit said the district’s total population was 10,89,263, of which 79.20 per cent were Muslims and 20.37 per cent were Hindus. “The Census of 2011 clearly shows that Nuh is a Muslim-dominated district. Further, the projected population of Nuh in 2023 is 14,21,933. It is pertinent to mention that in Punhana tehsil of Nuh district, Muslims make up 87 per cent of the population and 85 per cent in Ferozepur Jhirka,” the affidavit said.
It said that due procedure of law was followed before the demolitions. “The government, while removing encroachments/ unauthorised constructions, never adopted pick-and-choose policy and that too on caste, creed or religion,” it said.
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“The apex court and the high court have time and again directed the state governments and local authorities to demolish/ remove unauthorised encroachments by way of permanent /temporary constructions on government/ panchayat/ local bodies’ lands. The demolitions in question were routine measures taken by independent local authorities against the owners/ occupiers or illegal structures and that too after following the due procedure of law,” it said.
In a similar reply, Nishant Kumar Yadav, the Deputy Commissioner of Gurgaon, which also saw a demolition drive, has submitted that action was taken to remove unauthorised structures in compliance with the court’s directions.
“Due procedure of law has been followed before demolition of these constructions. No demolition was carried out without following the procedure of law. It is also pertinent to mention that the government while removing encroachments/ unauthorised constructions never adopted pick-and-chose policy and that too on the basis of caste, creed or religion,” the Gurgaon district administration has said.
“The state government while collecting such information on encroachment does not collect any information with regard to caste, creed and religion, and all the encroachers are dealt with in the same manner,” it has said.
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Speaking to reporters outside the court, Additional Advocate General of Haryana, Deepak Sabherwal, said all the structures that were demolished in Gurgaon belonged to Hindus.
The demolition drive in Nuh began on August 3, days after the district saw communal violence during a yatra organised by the VHP and Bajrang Dal on July 31. Six persons, including two home guards, were killed in the clashes. Many of those affected by the demolition drive had alleged that they did not receive prior notice.
Jagpreet Singh Sandhu is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. He is a veteran reporter with over a decade of experience, specializing in legal, crime, and environmental reporting across the tri-city area (Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula).
Professional Background
Core Beat: He primarily covers the Punjab and Haryana High Court, District Courts, CBI Courts, and Consumer Commissions. His legal reporting is known for breaking down complex judgments and tracking long-standing criminal cases.
Environmental Reporting: Jagpreet has become a key voice in reporting on the deteriorating air quality and weather patterns in the Punjab-Haryana region.
Crime & Technology: He frequently reports on cybercrime, digital arrest scams, and the intersection of technology and law enforcement, such as the development of citizen-centric policing apps.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His late 2025 coverage has focused on significant judicial verdicts, major financial scams, and public health concerns:
1. Legal & CBI Court Verdicts
"12 years on, CBI court acquits Haryana judge, parents in wife’s death case" (Dec 17, 2025): Detailed coverage of the acquittal of a judicial officer in a high-profile dowry death case from 2013.
"‘Wicked & evil mind’: Court gives man 30-year term for kidnapping, sexually assaulting 8-year-old" (Dec 16, 2025): A report on a stern judgment from a Chandigarh district court in a POCSO case.
"Man acquitted in rape case after victim found ‘very happy’ in wedding reception" (Dec 9, 2025): Covering a unique legal observation regarding consensual relationships and age verification.
2. Investigative & Scams
"CBI registers FIR in Rs 1.14-cr Patient Welfare Grant scam at PGIMER" (Dec 19, 2025): An exposé on how funds meant for poor patients were siphoned off through forged documents and a photocopy shop inside the PGIMER campus.
"Month-long torture, Rs 85 lakh transfers: How ‘Innocence Certificate’ led to a ‘digital arrest’ of an elderly couple" (Dec 12, 2025): Detailing a sophisticated cyber fraud targeting senior citizens in Chandigarh.
3. Environment & Public Safety
"Panchkula air turns ‘very poor’, fourth worst in country" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on the sudden spike in pollution levels in Panchkula compared to neighbouring cities.
"Soon, you can snap that overspeeding car, and report to Chandigarh Police" (Dec 16, 2025): Breaking news on a new mobile application being developed to allow citizens to report traffic violations via geo-tagged photos.
4. Gangster Culture & Crime
"City Beautiful in the crosshairs of gangsters" (Dec 14, 2025): A feature analysis of how Chandigarh has increasingly become a staging ground for extortion and rivalries between gangster modules.
"Shooters wanted for Parry murder held by Delhi Police Special Cell" (Dec 18, 2025): Following the developments in a high-profile murder case in Chandigarh’s Sector 26.
Signature Style
Jagpreet is recognized for his tenacious follow-up on cold cases and his ability to report on courtroom drama with a focus on victim rights. His work often highlights administrative lapses, whether in the handling of patient welfare funds or the enforcement of environmental standards. ... Read More
