On Independence Day, Samajwadi Party lawmaker accuses the BJP government of trampling citizens’ constitutional rights in Uttar Pradesh
SAMBHAL — On the day India marked its 79th Independence Day, Samajwadi Party MP Ziaur Rehman Barq delivered a strong message against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh, accusing it of targeting Muslims and demolishing constitutional freedoms through its controversial bulldozer actions.
Barq, who attended Independence Day celebrations at Acharya Muktesh Hakim Saraswati Inter College in Sambhal, raised the national flag before addressing the crowd. His words, however, quickly turned into a fierce attack on the Yogi Adityanath-led government.
“The bulldozer action is being taken by the Yogi government by keeping the law at bay,” Barq said. “The government is ignoring the court orders, and the police and administration have got the right to punish on their own, which is against the constitution and the justice system.”
Barq alleged that bulldozer drives in Uttar Pradesh are not random acts of law enforcement but a deliberate move to intimidate minorities, especially Muslims. “It is not just about demolishing houses and shops, it is about crushing the constitutional rights of people,” he said, his voice echoing in the school grounds.
The Samajwadi Party leader stressed that India’s freedom was achieved with the sacrifices of people from all communities, not just one group. “People of all communities and religions have sacrificed for the freedom of this country. This country does not belong to any one ideology, but to everyone,” he reminded.
Barq accused the state government of bypassing both the judiciary and the principles of justice. “The job of the police and administration is not to punish but to enforce the law. Punishment is the job of the judiciary only, but the current government is bent on usurping it for itself,” he said.
According to Barq, the bulldozer has now become a political weapon in the hands of the BJP. “Only one force dominates the state, and it is doing arbitrary things by ignoring the judiciary and the rule of law,” he alleged.
On a day meant to celebrate freedom, Barq vowed to continue resisting what he called an “attack on democracy”. “Our rights should be protected — this is true freedom — and my fight for this will continue,” he said.
Barq’s statements reflect growing criticism of the Yogi government’s bulldozer policies, which have drawn allegations of communal bias and disregard for due legal process. For many Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, the bulldozer has come to symbolise fear and injustice, not law and order.
