The Supreme Court on Friday came down like a ton of bricks on Yogi Adityanath for his decision to attach the properties of those involved in the anti-CAA protests in Uttar Pradesh.
A Supreme Court Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant, according to NDTV, said, “You have to follow the due process under the law. Please examine this, we are giving one opportunity till February 18.”
The court took a dim view of the Adityanath government for acting as a ‘complainant, adjudicator and prosecutor’ while going ahead with its decision to attach the properties of anti-CAA protesters.
Mincing no words, the Bench said, “Withdraw the proceedings or we will quash it for being in violation of the law laid down by this court.”
As reported by NDTV, addressing the UP government lawyer Garima Prashad, Justice Surya Kant said, “Madam Prashad, this is just a suggestion. This plea concerns only a set of notices sent in December 2019, in relation to one kind of agitation or protest. You can withdraw them with a stroke of a pen. 236 notices in a big state like UP is not a big thing. If you are not going to listen, then be ready to face the consequences. We will tell you how the Supreme Court judgements need to be followed”.
Adityanath also had to face public rebuke by the Allahabad High Court for naming and shaming anti-CAA protesters as his government put up large billboards with their names and photos.
“In entirety, we are having no doubt that the action of the State which is subject matter of this public interest litigation is nothing but an unwarranted interference in privacy of people. The same hence, is in violation of Article 21 of the Constitution of India,” the Allahabad High Court had said in 2020.
