The local administration has so far not made it clear if they have also identified those pelting stones on the mosque

Bhopal: In a shocking turn of events after communal clashes in Khargone – some 300 kms from the Madhya Pradesh capital, the BJP government has demolished the homes of the people whom it believed were involved in pelting stone on Ram Navami procession Sunday.

Demolition drive is also underway in Sendhwa – another city in Madhya Pradesh, that witnessed clashes between the two groups Sunday.

Videos shared by MP government’s official Twitter handle showed demolition of homes in the presence of top police and administrative staff.

“The accused, who pelted stones on Ram Navami procession in Sendhwa yesterday, got severe punishment. The district administration demolished their multi-storey homes”, MP government PRO wrote in one of the tweets tagging the video.

कल सेंधवा में रामनवमी के जुलूस पर पथराव करने वाले आरोपियों के मकानों पर चला बुलडोजर. कई मंजिले मकान हुए जमीनदोंज. इस कार्य में 5 से अधिक जेसीबी संलग्न है.@CMMadhyaPradesh @JansamparkMP @mohdept @CollectrBarwani @sp_barwani pic.twitter.com/be5ANAZQwe

— PRO JS Badwani (@projsbadwani) April 11, 2022

According to the local officials, demolition drive was carried at 20 locations Monday. The state police has arrested 84 people and identified 50 properties that will be demolished.

“We have so far identified 84 people. Besides sending the accused in jail we are also demolishing their properties”, Commissioner (Indore range) Pawan Kumar Sharma told the media.

It is alleged that the administration took action against the accused without fulfilling the due legal procedure.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan however justified the demolition of the homes, mostly of poor people, and said the state government will recover from the accused the cost of damages done to the public and private properties during the riots.

Terming the accused as rioters, Chuahan said:

“Khargaone incident is unfortunate. Rioters have been identified and strict action will be taken against them.”

“They will not only be sent to jail but will also made to pay for vandalising public and properties”, he said.

“In Madhya Pradesh, we have passed the damage to public and private property recovery act and we are constituting a claim tribunal under this act. After assessing the losses, recovery will be done from the rioters”, he said.

According to the reports, riots started in Khargone and Sendhwa cities of Madhya Pradesh after stones were hurled on Rama Navami procession Sunday triggering incidents of arson wherein some vehicles were set on fire.

Some videos shared on social media also showed “miscreants” pelting stones on a mosque. The local administration has so far not made it clear if they have also identified those pelting stones on the mosque. And, if yes, will their homes be also demolished, and how and when the cost of damages done to the mosque will be recovered from them?