GENEVA: The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has issued a stark condemnation of India’s ongoing arbitrary demolitions, which disproportionately target minorities, particularly Muslims, and violate their housing rights.
The Council has raised concerns over the misuse of national security measures to justify forced evictions.
The UNHRC, during its 59th session held in Geneva, emphasized the need to halt these demolitions and recognized them as violations of international human rights law. The session, which continues until July 9, 2025, addressed a range of human rights issues globally, with a particular focus on India.
In its 2025 report released on June 23, the UNHRC criticized the Indian government for failing to adhere to procedural safeguards against arbitrary demolitions, despite a 2022 ruling by the Indian Supreme Court in the case of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind vs. Union of India.
The ruling had called for protective measures against such demolitions, but the practice has continued unabated, leading to accusations of “bulldozer justice.”
The UN experts, including Balakrishnan Rajagopal, Nazila Ghanea, Nicolas Levrat, and Gehad Madi, expressed grave concerns over what they described as an “aggravated form of human rights violation” that disproportionately affects marginalized communities, especially Muslims.
They emphasized that these demolitions are often carried out without formal investigation or verification and are justified under the pretext of “anti-encroachment” campaigns, “national security,” or vague allegations of “illegal immigration.”
The report highlighted the mass demolitions in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, between April 29 and May 21, 2025, where over 10,000 homes, businesses, and mosques were destroyed. An additional 500 structures were demolished on May 29. These actions left thousands of people, many of whom had lived in these areas for decades, homeless and without any alternative housing, creating severe trauma and instability.
The UN experts condemned these actions, stating, “These mass demolitions do not just erase buildings—they erase lives, stability, and dignity.” They called on the Indian government to halt these unlawful and discriminatory practices and to respect the housing rights of all its citizens, particularly those from vulnerable communities.
