Bulldozers flatten mosque in BJP-ruled UP, rights groups question motives
Lucknow: Authorities in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh demolished a mosque in Sitapur district using bulldozers, with nearly 500 police personnel deployed at the site.
According to Kashmir Media Service, officials claimed that the mosque in Naigaon Behati village was illegally built on government land designated as a pond, and that a tehsil court had ordered its removal in January after alleged non-compliance with eviction notices.
The operation, led by Additional District Magistrate Nitish Kumar, was carried out without unrest, with authorities stating the situation remained under control
A case against the structure was first registered in December 2025, and the court declared the construction illegal within weeks, an unusually swift legal process. Maulana Abdul Rahman, associated with the mosque, described the action as “political” rather than legal.
The demolition adds to a growing pattern of bulldozer-led actions in BJP-ruled states, particularly in Uttar Pradesh under Hindutva Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Human rights groups and opposition leaders have repeatedly said that such demolitions are used as a tool to intimidate Muslim communities, often under the guise of land encroachment laws. India’s Supreme Court has previously warned against demolitions carried out without due process.
While the UP administration claimed that the action was strictly lawful, critics argue that until similar enforcement is applied equally across all communities, such operations will continue to raise serious questions about selective justice.
