Bulldozer razes decades-old mosque in Saharanpur, Akhilesh and Mayawati slam Yogi government
The demolition of a decades-old mosque in UP has heated up the political climate in the state.
The mosque located within the Collectorate premises in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, which was declared illegal, was demolished on Saturday morning. A large number of police personnel were deployed during this action by the BJP's Yogi government.
This administrative action was taken following the decision of the District Judge's court on September 4. The court upheld the lower court's order, which had deemed the religious structure an encroachment on government land, while dismissing the appeal of the mosque management committee. Earlier, in July, the City Magistrate had declared the mosque illegal and ordered its demolition.
The demolition of this decades-old mosque has heated up the political climate in the state. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav targeted the Yogi government over this incident, stating in a conversation with ANI that,
This was done at the behest of Yogi. Could justice not have been obtained in the High Court? Could they not have gone to the Supreme Court to appeal? The officials acted on the government's orders to ensure they do not receive justice in the next court.
Akhilesh Yadav further stated that,
Those who do not respect other religions, who play with the faith of others, can never be true Hindus. A true Hindu can never insult another. This is what we have learned in Sanatan. Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam teaches that the whole world is one family. A true Sanatani is a person who values harmony. Maintaining harmony is the government's biggest responsibility. This is happening because these people were caught stealing from the wealth of Lord Shri Ram. They were caught in the theft of offerings. The formation of an SIT and the talk of sending them to jail has stripped them of everything. The public has understood what kind of people they are, which is why they are giving it a communal angle.
Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has criticized the Yogi government's action.
She stated in a post on X that,
The ongoing government campaign to declare mosques illegal and demolish them in a haphazard manner in Uttar Pradesh is not right. The government should immediately stop this and take other measures to resolve these negative situations. Moreover, it is the responsibility of a constitutional secular government to ensure equal respect and protection for all religions and their places of worship.
The BSP chief added that,
Mosques are an integral part of worship, where prayers are offered multiple times a day, and it is essential to respect them according to Indian traditions for the welfare of the country and the public. Additionally, people are quite disturbed by actions that demolish the homes of accused individuals without proper adherence to rules and laws, punishing entire families collectively. The BJP government must ensure 'rule of law by law.'
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has also expressed sharp reactions to this incident.
He stated in a post on X that,
Is there now no constitutional right to religious freedom for Muslims? Why are bulldozers repeatedly used on our places of worship under weak and fabricated reasons?
Owaisi further stated that,
The mosque existed first; the Collectorate came later. The mosque committee presented documents from 1911 in court to prove that this mosque existed before the Collectorate. Prayers have been continuously offered there for over a century. This is not a building erected today; it has been used as a place of worship for a long time. This is the foundation of waqf by user, which is also recognized in law.
On the entire matter, Saharanpur DIG Abhishek Singh stated that,
There was a mosque in Saharanpur Collectorate. The City Magistrate's court found that it was illegally constructed on government land. The appeal filed by the mosque committee against the demolition was dismissed.
However, it is surprising that last night when news of the mosque's demolition spread, the District Magistrate told the crowd present that the mosque would only be sealed. But by morning, the mosque was demolished. The mosque, which is over 70 years old and located in the Saharanpur Collectorate premises, was demolished by the district administration around 5 AM on Saturday.
It is noteworthy that this mosque was constructed during British rule for Muslim employees working in the Collectorate, who had to travel far to offer prayers.
The DIG stated, “All precautionary measures have been taken to maintain law and order. All legal procedures are being followed during this action.”
According to news agency ANI, before the demolition, Samajwadi Party Lok Sabha MP Ikra Hasan was placed under house arrest at her residence in Kairana to prevent her from going to Saharanpur.
MP Ikra Hasan stated,
A large number of police personnel were stationed at my residence in Kairana overnight, and I was placed under house arrest to prevent me from going to Saharanpur. I wanted to go to Saharanpur to meet officials regarding the Collectorate mosque issue and to raise the concerns of my constituents, but I was not even allowed to step outside my home.
Kairana MP Hasan explained that,
After the order from the lower civil court, the entire mosque was sealed, and barricades were set up around it. Meanwhile, people wanted to talk to the officials to request some time regarding this matter. People wanted to go to the High Court, but they were not given time, and all prominent individuals in Saharanpur district were placed under house arrest. The mosque was demolished early in the morning. This is shameful. This is such a grave sin that they will surely have to face the consequences. We will take this matter to court. It is our right. But the manner in which this action was taken shows how democracy has been murdered. 'Quick justice' is being considered the standard method. If every decision is to be made solely based on government orders, then there is no need for a legal system. This incident is completely condemnable.
Speaking to news agency PTI, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Dharmendra Kumar Singh stated,
This government has been avoiding fundamental questions from day one and is fabricating such narratives. The Indian judiciary and constitution provide a framework. The opportunity to seek justice is available in all courts up to the Supreme Court. A decision from the Supreme Court is considered final only after it is delivered. Therefore, it is essential to see whether the concerned party was given the opportunity to appeal.
He further stated,
After any order, a specific time is given to file an appeal. It could be one month or any other stipulated period. The concerned party has the right to challenge any error in the High Court's order in a higher court. But this government acts so hastily upon receiving orders from the courts that it breeds hatred in society.
The mosque was declared an “unauthorized structure” in July, and the City Magistrate ordered the land to be vacated within 30 days. The court also imposed a fine of ₹6.41 crore on the alleged “illegal occupants” for “unauthorized occupation” of 315 square meters of government land. This order was passed under the Uttar Pradesh Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1972.
Earlier, Saharanpur's City Magistrate Kuldeep Singh had stated that the revenue department had initiated action after investigating a complaint against a person named Vikas Tyagi. The complaint alleged that a mosque had been constructed on government land within the collectorate premises. In March 2025, a revenue officer (Lekhpala) filed a complaint against the alleged manager of the mosque and Maulvi Abdul Hamid for unauthorized occupation of government property. Notices were issued to the respondents in April 2025, and objections were filed by them on June 11 of the same year.