UP court orders demolition of decades-old mosque, sparks outrage from Muslim organizations
Lucknow: A court in the BJP-ruled Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has ordered the demolition of a mosque that has stood for more than seven decades inside the Collectorate premises in Saharanpur district. The court also imposed a fine of over Rs 64.1 million on the mosque’s management committee.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the demolition order was issued by the court of City Magistrate Kuldeep Singh on a petition filed by Vikas Tyagi, former state coordinator of the Hindutva organization Bajrang Dal. The court ruled that the mosque could not be allowed to remain on the premises, citing security and confidentiality concerns relating to the government office, and directed its demolition along with the imposition of the fine.
The ruling has drawn sharp political and public reaction. Imran Masood, Congress Member of the Indian Parliament from Saharanpur, termed the order illegal, arguing that the mosque stands on private land and that its management committee was neither given a fair opportunity to present its case nor served the mandatory 15-day notice before the order was issued.
The mosque committee strongly condemned the verdict and announced that it would challenge the order in a higher court. Muslim organizations also denounced the ruling, maintaining that the mosque predates India’s independence and therefore cannot be declared an illegal structure.
