Three years of terror in UP: Property ordinance is as bad as AFSPA, says advocate Colin Gonsalves

A day after seeking reply Allahabad High Court issued notice to the Yogi government over Properties Ordinance, 2020. On the day Yogi government is scheduled to release a report card enlisting work done for the people of Uttar Pradesh, senior advocate and founder of Human Rights Law Network, Colin Gonsalves termed the ordinance “as bad as AFSPA”.

Passed by the Parliament, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 grants special powers to the Indian Armed Forces to maintain public order in “disturbed areas”.

Gonsalves who challenged the ordinance passed in Allahabad High Court said that the courts should stand against the “lawlessness”.

Talking to NH, Gonsalves said, “This ordinance is against the HC order and the supreme court order also.”

Saying that the Yogi government is “completely lawless” the senior advocate added, “This ordinance is also an indication of that lawlessness. There is a complete breakdown of the rule of law in Uttar Pradesh. Therefore, it is important, that the courts should stand up against the breaking of the rule of law. They must stand to oppose the breaking the rule of law by setting aside the ordinance.”

Hearing upon the petition filed by Gonsalves on Wednesday, the Allahabad high court has asked the Yogi government to submit their reply on March 25. The next hearing of the matter has been scheduled for March 27.

It may be recalled here that in complete disregard to order issued by the Allahabad high court and by the Supreme Court also, Yogi government has passed Public Properties Ordinance, 2020 on March 14 that allows the government “for recovery of losses due to damage to government and private properties during political processions”.

Seeking recovery for the losses during the anti-CAA protest, the Yogi government has put up hoardings in Lucknow featuring names, pictures, and addresses of anti-CAA protesters who were booked for protest against the law on December 19 last year.

This was challenged in the Allahabad high court, following which the court had last week ordered the removal of hoardings.

Thereafter, the Yogi government has approached the apex court against the high court’s order. Asking the Yogi government to remove the hoardings, the SC asked under which law the BJP government has put up the hoardings in Lucknow.

Social activist Sadaf Jafar who was jailed for taking part in anti-CAA protest said the Yogi government has made it a “prestige point”.