150-yr-old mosque demolished in UP, sparking outrage over religious freedom
Political leaders condemn BJP-led state govt’s action, question haste
Lucknow: Authorities in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh have demolished a 150-year-old mosque located inside the Saharanpur Collectorate campus, sparking outrage over the safety of religious places of minorities, particularly Muslims, in Modi’s India.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the demolition came shortly after the District Judge’s court on September 4 dismissed an appeal filed by the mosque management committee and upheld an earlier order directing the structure’s removal. The administration had declared the mosque illegal in July and ordered its demolition.
The demolition was carried out on Saturday amid the deployment of a large contingent of police personnel in the area.
In July, the City Magistrate declared the mosque, situated on a 315-square-metre parcel of land within the Saharanpur Collectorate complex, an “unauthorised” occupation and ordered the occupants to vacate the premises. The administration also imposed a penalty of around Rs 6.41 crore on the alleged “illegal occupants” for unauthorized occupation of government land.
The proceedings were initiated following a complaint by Vikas Tyagi, a former provincial coordinator of the Bajrang Dal, a Hindutva organisation.
The mosque management subsequently challenged the administration’s order. However, the District Judge’s court dismissed its appeal on September 4, clearing the way for the demolition.
Ahead of the demolition, Samajwadi Party Lok Sabha member from Kairana Iqra Hasan was placed under house arrest at her residence in Kairana, preventing her from travelling to Saharanpur. “I intended to visit Saharanpur to meet officials regarding the Collectorate mosque issue and to voice the concerns of the people of my constituency, but I was not even allowed to leave my home,” she said.
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The action came as political leaders criticized the administration for proceeding with the demolition despite the possibility of challenging the district court’s order before the Allahabad High Court.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati criticised the BJP-led UP government’s demolition of mosques across the state. In a post on X, she said the government’s ongoing campaign, under which mosques were being declared illegal and demolished “in great haste”, was unjustified.
AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi questioned whether the constitutional protection of religious freedom was being applied equally. “Does the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion no longer apply to Muslims? Why is it that our places of worship are constantly bulldozed on flimsy grounds?” Owaisi asked.
Bhim Army chief and Nagina MP Chandra Shekhar Aazad questioned the timing of the demolition and the administration’s decision to proceed before the mosque committee could approach the High Court. “Now that the mosque has been demolished, the question is: despite the option of a legal challenge in the High Court, why did the administration act with such haste?” Azad said.
“This action is yet another example of the BJP government’s communal politics and appeasement of its supporters,” he said, adding, “This injustice will be remembered.”
Congress MP from Saharanpur Imran Masood also condemned the demolition, saying that the authorities surrounded the area, confined people to their homes and then demolished the mosque. “Today is a black day for the people of Saharanpur,” Masood said. Targeting the Uttar Pradesh government, he said it was using demolitions and coercive action against Muslims as a political tool.
