Hyderabad:
AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday condemned the demolition of a mosque inside the Saharanpur Collectorate complex in Uttar Pradesh, questioning whether the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion still applies equally to Muslims.
The mosque was demolished by authorities early Saturday following a court order. The action came after a Saharanpur court upheld an earlier decision declaring the structure to be an unauthorised occupation of government land. Authorities maintained that the demolition was carried out in accordance with due process.
Reacting to the demolition in a post on X, Owaisi said, “You cannot bulldoze our masjid just because you have an itch.” He also questioned the constitutional safeguards available to Muslims, asking whether the guarantee of religious freedom still applies to them.
Owaisi claimed that historical records dating back to 1911 establish the existence of the mosque. He argued that the Collectorate itself was constructed later and alleged that the mosque had legal protection under the concept of “waqf by user” and adverse possession.
The AIMIM chief accused the BJP of targeting Muslim religious sites, alleging that mosques, dargahs, and graveyards were being subjected to selective action.
“They are demolishing shrines (Dargahs) and destroying graveyards. They are targeting only Muslims,” Owaisi said, according to a video of his remarks.
He further alleged that the demolition reflected hostility towards mosques, saying, “They harbour hatred towards mosques and the very presence of Muslims.”
Owaisi also criticised the timing of the action and argued that the mosque’s representatives should have been allowed to pursue further legal remedies. “Natural justice demands that they be allowed to approach higher courts,” he added.
The political controversy comes after the City Magistrate’s July order held that the mosque occupied 315 square metres of government land and ordered its removal, along with a penalty of about Rs 6.41 crore. A district court subsequently dismissed an appeal against the order.
Owaisi announced that AIMIM would respond to the issue through “constitutional and political means”, signalling that the demolition is likely to develop into a broader political issue in Uttar Pradesh, where assembly elections are due in February-March 2027.
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