No temple or dargah or gurudwara can obstruct public: Supreme Court

The court said its bulldozer action against any citizen will be given irrespective of religion.

The top court bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan said this hearing petitions challenging the bulldozer action against accused of crimes.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the states of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, said in the course of hearing that he was worried that the court was passing directions on the basis of a few precedents alleging that one community is in the target.

In response, the court said as quoted by NDTV, "We are a secular country and our directions will be for all, irrespective of religion or community. Of course, for encroachment we have said... if it is on a public road, footpath, water body or railway line area, it has to go, public safety is paramount.

"If there is any religious structure in the middle of the road, be it gurudwara or dargah or temple, it cannot obstruct public."

"For unauthorised construction, there has to be one law, it is not dependent on religion or faith or beliefs," Justice Gavai said.

Lawyer CU Singh, who was representing one of the petitioners, said he objects to the use of bulldozer action as a "crime-fighting measure".