Over 23 Muslim religious sites demolished in 44 days across BJP-ruled states of India
New Delhi: A continuing wave of demolitions targeting Muslim religious sites, including mosques, madrasas, eidgahs and dargahs, across several Indian states, particularly those ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has raised serious concerns over selective enforcement and violation of due process.
According to Kashmir Media Service, these demolition drives are not isolated incidents. Since May, at least 23 Muslim religious structures, including mosques, dargahs, eidgahs and madrasas, have been demolished across six Indian states.
These incidents recorded between May 6 and June 18 this year, have been reported from multiple BJP-ruled states, including Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Haryana, prompting allegations of a pattern of selective targeting of Muslim religious heritage sites.
The structures demolished include the Mangolpuri Dargah, also known as Dargah Panch Peeran, and a madrasa in Mangolpuri Industrial Area and Pitampura in Delhi on May 6 and May 21 respectively; a mosque at Masjid Chowk in Faridabad, Haryana, on May 29; two mosques in Mumbai’s Bandra area on May 30; three dargahs and a graveyard in Gujarat on June 1; Hazrat Syed Barkat Ali Shah Pir Baba Dargah in Mumbai’s Goregaon on June 2; Ajgaib Shaheed Mosque in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, on the night of June 2; Hazrat Shamsuddin Qadri Dargah near Pune’s Bopodi Metro Station on the night of June 3–4; a dargah in Baghau village of Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, on June 5; Masjid Mustafa Qadri in Sambhal on June 6; Noorani Mosque in Jaipur, Rajasthan, on June 8; Noori Masjid in Bhayandar East, Maharashtra, on June 8; an eidgah in Sambhal on June 10; Sayyed Shah Baba Mazar in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, in June; Masjid Ganj Shaheeda near Kashi Railway Station in Varanasi on June 17; and four mosques in Malana village of Barmer district, Rajasthan, on June 18.
Reportedly, in most cases, legal procedures and prior notices were not properly followed before the demolitions were carried out. Media reports further suggest that in some areas, nearby Hindu religious structures built without authorization were left untouched.
The growing number of such demolitions has sparked debate over equality before law, protection of religious heritage, and the need for transparency and due process in administrative actions, irrespective of religious affiliation.
