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India, April 22 -- In the wake of communal riots that flared up in the aftermath of the Ram Navami celebrations in various states, the response of the administration has been to use bulldozers to demolish the homes of various people who - it is alleged - were involved in the riots.
Across states, this "bulldozer justice" has targeted people who are overwhelmingly poor and overwhelmingly Muslim. While in states such as Madhya Pradesh - for example - the demolition has already run its course, in Delhi, it was temporarily halted after an urgent order from the Supreme Court. However, unless this practice is promptly nipped in the bud by the judiciary - which remains the only institution with the power to stop it - there is a very short road from the present situation to a full-fledged mob State.
The moral bankruptcy of the administration is revealed by its two-faced approach to the issue. In the immediate aftermath of the riots, various statements were made that the homes of the rioters would not be spared, and that the "bulldozer" would arrive shortly. However, it is abundantly clear that this narrative would fall apart the moment someone challenged it in court. The administration - that is, the State - is bound by the rule of law, and is not...