The Bombay High Court on Friday ordered a halt to all demolition activities in Vishalgadh Fort area of Kolhapur. The court came down heavily on the Maharashtra Government for failing to ensure law and order in the area.The Bombay HC, according to Clarion India, ordered a complete halt to all demolition activities, in which 60 to 70 structures belonging to Muslims were razed down, in the vicinity of Vishalgad Fort earlier this week.A division bench comprising Justices Burgess Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla also slammed the state government for carrying out the demolition drive during the monsoon. “How can you raze structures during the rainy season? We make it very clear that no structure, we repeat no structure, be it a commercial one or a household, should be demolished till further orders,” the court said.The region reportedly witnessed a flare-up on July 14. The next day the state PWD officials launched the demolition drive against the Muslims of the area.The court, according to the report, was hearing a petition filed by some residents of Shahuwadi taluka, urging the court to form a special investigation team (SIT) headed by a former high court judge to probe into the alleged violence by right-wing activists.The court was informed that around 70 structures including houses and shops of the residents were demolished on July 15 by the State’s Public Works Department (PWD), reported the LiveLaw. Maharashtra Government pleader Priyabhushan Kakade claimed before the court that only commercial structures that were not protected by any stay order or any other court of law were demolished. The court replied saying that if there is any breach in the said statement, strict action will be taken against the officers concerned. “We record your statement and if there is any breach, we will come down heavily on your officers. We will also not hesitate to put the officers concerned in jail,” Justice Colabawalla said. The court was hearing petitions filed by residents of Vishalgadh regarding communal violence that broke out on July 14, when houses and shops belonging to the Muslim community were allegedly vandalised by members of right-wing groups.A mosque in the vicinity was also vandalised by the miscreants. Advocate Satish Talekar, appearing for petitioners showed the judges a video of the violence, and said that the incident happened after a call from former BJP MP Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati to march to the fort to protest against “encroachments” by the Muslims. Talekar further informed the court that right-wing groups, armed with sticks, hammers etc. attempted to demolish the Raza Sunil Jama Masjid at Gazapur in the fort area. A video of this incident had gone viral on social media.
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