The global journey of the bulldozer
The bulldozer has become the symbol of a strong state for the BJP and its supporters, while critics see it as a symbol of state oppression and anti-Muslim prejudice.
The idea of bulldozer justice originated in UP, where the administration made the destruction of property a form of extrajudicial punishment for those suspected of offences, primarily Muslims. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s admirers adoringly name him ‘Bulldozer Baba’ -- a moniker that travelled all the way to New Jersey, USA. Parades in two U.S. towns on Indian Independence Day last month had bulldozers with the pictures of ‘Bulldozer Baba’ and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. No wonder then that other BJP Chief Ministers, from Madhya Pradesh to Karnataka and Assam, now aspire to follow the ‘Yogi Model.’ In recent days, bulldozers are active in Assam, where the Himanata Biswa Sarma government has ordered the pulling down of madrasas suspected to be linked to the Al Qaeda network.
