UP court orders demolition of mosque on alleged land encroachment grounds
Lucknow: A Revenue Department court in Uttar Pradesh has ordered the demolition of a mosque in Bindki tehsil of Fatehpur district, on the pretext of alleged encroachments on government land.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the order, issued by the tehsildar’s court, follows a petition challenging the mosque’s location in Malwan village.
The controversy surrounding the mosque has been fueled by demands from Hindu extremist groups, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, who have claimed the mosque was built on government land. In July, these groups organized a Hindu panchayat to push for its demolition.
An office-bearer of the Sunni Madina Masjid Committee, which manages the mosque, said they would decide whether to file an appeal against the order or not after holding consultations with their senior members.
Chhedi Ali, an office-bearer of the Sunni Madina Masjid Committee, which manages the mosque, stated that they are considering an appeal against the demolition order after consulting with senior members. He clarified that the mosque was constructed in the 1970s on land allocated by the gram sabha, with the necessary fee deposited at the time. Since then, the mosque has undergone regular maintenance, but no new construction has occurred.
Ali emphasized that previous surveys by the district administration confirmed the land’s allocation for the mosque. The mosque was officially registered with the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board in 2020. He described the recent claims of encroachment as false and reiterated that the mosque serves not only the local community but also residents from five neighboring villages.
The mosque committee received a notice from the court last month and submitted a detailed reply affirming their legal right to the land. They are now preparing to challenge the court’s order through an appeal. Critics view the order as part of a broader pattern of discrimination against Muslim institutions in Modi’s India.
