Owaisi slams Saharanpur mosque demolition, questions UP government's intent

Hyderabad MP and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has strongly condemned the demolition of a mosque within the Saharanpur Collectorate complex in Uttar Pradesh, calling the action a "fit example of hatred" and accusing the state government of disregarding constitutional protections.

Speaking on Saturday, Owaisi alleged that the BJP and the Yogi Adityanath administration are troubled by the mere presence of mosques, stating that "the sight of a masjid gives them a headache." He emphasized that the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion to all citizens and that the government cannot selectively ignore these provisions.

Owaisi detailed that the mosque was built in 1911 on private land donated by a Muslim individual for religious purposes. He noted that the place of worship remained in active use until September of this year. The parliamentarian questioned the legality of the demolition, pointing out that no stay order had been granted by a lower court.

He further criticized the authorities for barricading the area and carrying out the demolition at approximately 5 a.m., suggesting the timing was intended to prevent the matter from being heard in a higher court. "The BJP and Yogi administration does not have faith in the higher courts," he remarked, alleging that the government knew its position was "wrong."

Owaisi directly challenged Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, asking whether the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion applies to Muslims. He invoked legal principles related to "waqf by user" and adverse possession, questioning why the mosque committee was not permitted to appeal the decision.

He called for presidential intervention if the rule of law has indeed ended in the state. Owaisi has advised the mosque committee to approach higher courts and has offered his assistance in pursuing the legal matter.