UP: 'Illegal' mosque inside Saharanpur collectorate complex razed amid heavy police deployment

SAHARANPUR: An illegally-constructed mosque located within the premises of the district collectorate office here was demolished early Saturday amid heavy police deployment, with opposition parties accusing the government of "politics of hate" and weakening social harmony.

The action followed an earlier demolition order issued by the Saharanpur city magistrate who declared the structure illegal. Subsequently, the mosque committee moved the district court against the order, which on September 2 rejected its appeal, paving the way for demolition, a district administration official told PTI.

The collectorate complex turned into a fortress Saturday morning as all five entrances were closed down while the general public, including lawyers, were not allowed to enter.

The demolition was carried out in presence of a large police force. Five companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel were deployed at the site to maintain law and order, Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Saharanpur Range, Abhishek Singh said.

Additionally, police are maintaining surveillance in sensitive areas and conducting foot patrols and flag marches to prevent any untoward incidents, he said.

The DIG appealed to people to maintain peace and ignore rumours, saying that the demolition action cleared government land of encroachment.

Reacting to the mosque demolition, Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai, in a post on X in Hindi, said, "The news of the demolition of the mosque built in 1911 in the Saharanpur collectorate complex is extremely heartbreaking and shameful. Politics of hate and division does not strengthen society; rather, it weakens social harmony and brotherhood."

The Congress believes justice must be done to every religion, every community and every citizen of Uttar Pradesh. "The BJP government must understand that while religious buildings can be demolished with bulldozers, the voice of democracy and rights of people cannot be suppressed. Uttar Pradesh is the land of brotherhood, justice, and social harmony. It cannot be turned into an arena for politics of hate and division," Rai said.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, in a post on X in Hindi, accused the Uttar Pradesh government of declaring mosques illegal "in great haste" and proceeding to demolish. "The government should immediately halt this and adopt other measures to resolve these issues to avoid such negative situations," she said.

She further said it is the duty of the constitutional, secular government to equally respect followers of all religions, their religious sites and ensure their safety. "In Islam, mosques are an integral part of daily worship. Keeping this in mind, and in accordance with Indian traditions, it is essential to accord them respect in the interest of the nation and the broader public good."

The BSP chief further said people are greatly disturbed by the demolition of a house of an accused person "without adherence to laws", which has rendered an entire family homeless.

"It would be appropriate for not only the government but also the courts to pay due attention to this matter. In such situations, people should maintain harmony," Mayawati appealed in her post.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, without directly referring to the demolition of the mosque, said in a post on X, "Let the BJP commit as much injustice as it wants... using the shield of law to perpetrate illegal acts may hold for a while, but it cannot last forever."

Referring to the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir, Yadav said, "The BJP, which has looted donations and offerings made to the temple, what would it know of the value of symbols of faith? The entire Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain minority, backward classes, and Dalit communities are watching how atrocities against them are increasing."

Rejecting the opposition's charges, Uttar Pradesh Minority Welfare, Muslim Waqf and Haj Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar told reporters in Ballia that the demolition of the mosque located inside the Saharanpur collectorate premises was carried out in accordance with a court order.

In 2025, Bajrang Dal regional convener Vikas Tyagi had filed a petition in the court of the city magistrate, alleging that the structure located within the collectorate premises was illegal.

Subsequently, the Saharanpur city magistrate declared the structure illegal and issued an order for its demolition. The mosque management committee appealed against the order against in the district court, which on September 2 rejected its appeal.