‘Vile, Hateful’: Navika Kumar Criticised for Joke on Jahangirpuri Demolition

"This will be her legacy," wrote one user on Twitter.

Navika Kumar jokes about Delhi's Jahangirpuri Demotion.

(Photo Courtesy: The Quint, Twitter)

Several structures in Jahangirpuri including the gate of a mosque, tin roofs, shops attached to the mosque, and some people's homes were demolished on 20 April in an anti-encorachment drive by the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC).

This demolition took place following communal clashes in the same area on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti on 16 April. The demolition continued even after the Supreme Court issued a stay order on it, and videos of bulldozers rolling in and razing establishments illegally have taken over social media.

While some users sympathised with the heartwrenching visuals and others expressed their anger, journalist Navika Kumar had a far different reaction to the situation.

In a tweet that is now being called insensitive by users online, she wrote, "Dramatic increase in demand for bulldozers. Are we increasing domestic capacity for manufacturing or will we have to depend on imports?? #JustAsking"

Netizens have talked about how the tweet is making fun of a very serious situation, and laughing at people who have lost their homes and businesses due to illegal demolitions is far from funny. Here are some reactions from Twitter.

The Supreme Court, on 21 April, confirmed that its stay order will remain in effect even as petitions into the matter are heard, which will happen after two weeks.