Anti-encroachment order in UP's Ballia cites ‘particular caste and particular religion'; UP govt suspends officer
After the order went viral, the district administration withdrew it, and the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's Office ordered the immediate suspension of the officer, clarifying that the government does not support any action based on caste or religion.
The order, issued by the District Panchayati Raj Officer, pertained to a special campaign to remove encroachments from Gram Sabha land, ponds, playgrounds, cremation grounds, and Panchayat buildings. It specifically cited 'illegal occupation by people of a particular caste (Yadav) and a particular religion (Muslim).'
Sources said the order referred to a complaint by a BJP farmer leader to the Chief Minister, alleging widespread encroachment across 57,691 Gram Panchayats by 'a particular caste (Yadav) and a particular religion (Muslim).' It recommended a campaign to reclaim these properties.
Following backlash, the order was withdrawn on August 4. Later, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognizance and directed action against the officer concerned.
'Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed strong displeasure over the controversial order… linking action to a particular caste and religion. The Chief Minister has termed the order as 'completely discriminatory and unacceptable' and has given instruction to cancel it with immediate effect,' the state government said in an official statement.
Calling it a 'serious administrative lapse', the CM ordered the suspension of Joint Director, Panchayati Raj, S N Singh, saying that such language and mindset were 'against the policies of the government' and could divide society.
Instructions were also issued that encroachments should be removed 'with complete fairness, as per the facts and law and order, and not on the basis of caste or religion,' with a warning not to repeat such actions.
Former Uttar Pradesh CM and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav termed it an instance of 'harassment of PDA (pichde or backward classes or OBCs, Dalits, and alpasankhyak or minorities)'' and called for judicial intervention.
'Action should be taken against anything that is illegal because illegal is illegal, so why are people of a particular caste or religion being targeted? The judiciary should take immediate notice; this is an anti-Constitutional act. We will go to court against this,' he said in a statement on X. 'The more the PDA is harassed, the stronger the PDA unity will become.'
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