Following the recent demolition of a portion of a mosque in Kushinagardistrict, the Gorakhpur Development Authority (GDA) has ordered the demolition of another mosque near the Ghosh Company intersection in Gorakhpur, citing unauthorised construction. These incidents, part of a broader pattern in BJP-ruled states, have raised concerns about the future of mosques and madrasas in Uttar Pradesh, which has India’s largest Muslim population.
On Feb. 9, the Kushinagar district administration partially demolished Madani Masjid in Hata, citing illegal occupation and construction. The demolition, carried out with heavy machinery, left the remaining structure at risk of collapse.
Local Muslims alleged that authorities unexpectedly brought in a JCB, briefly posted a notice, cut the mosque’s CCTV cables, and later installed a new camera near the municipality office.
Two weeks earlier, on Jan. 25, the mosque’s boundary wall was demolished by the municipality, and an FIR was filed against the mosque committee members for alleged land encroachment, document forgery, and unauthorised construction. On the same day, the Hata police filed an FIR against Shakir Ali, the mosque committee secretary, and others, alleging violations of Sections 2 and 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, as well as Sections 319 (2), 318 (4), 338, 336, 340 (2), and 329 (3) of the BharatiyaNyaySanhita (BNS).
Advocate Salman Khan, representing the mosque committee, claimed the area was cordoned off, restricting movement, and nearby shops were forcibly closed. “I managed to reach the location and sought clarification regarding the order authorising the demolition; however, no officials provided any answers,” Khan said. He added, “The administration intentionally selected Sunday for the operation to prevent us from obtaining judicial relief.”
Shakir Ali, who died on Feb. 20 following a heart attack on Feb. 19, had reportedly been under immense mental pressure after the filing of an FIR against him. Soon after the demolition incident, he had told Radiance that he was under “tremendous pressure” following the filing of an FIR. He suffered a mild stroke when demolition was being carried out.
Meanwhile, the mosque committee has petitioned the Supreme Court, which issued a contempt notice on Feb. 17 to the Kushinagar district magistrate for defying a Nov. 2024 nationwide ban on demolitions without prior notice.
The bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and AG Masih also restrained the Kushinagar district administration from carrying out any further demolition till the next hearing on March 18 and said why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against them for their alleged violation.
“It is submitted that in these premises, the demolition which was made is in egregious contempt of the directions issued by this court. Issue notice as to why proceedings for contempt should not be initiated against the respondent (DM),” said the court in its order.
Haji Hamid Khan, custodian of the Madani Masjid, condemned the demolition as biased, asserting that the mosque was built in compliance with the municipality’s authorised designs and was on registered property. Despite submitting all necessary records, authorities proceeded with the demolition, displaying a prejudiced approach, Khan told Radiance.
The Supreme Court noted that the petitioners had already removed portions of the construction deemed unauthorised and stated that the demolition violated its previous directives. The top court stated, “It is argued that the demolition that was done on these premises is in flagrant violation of the orders given by this court.”
Senior Advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, who represented the petitioners, argued that the lack of notice of the demolished structure amounted to “egregious” violation of the court’s Nov. 13 ruling. He further pointed out that an SDM’s report confirming the mosque’s compliance with municipal plans was disregarded, and the SDM was transferred before the demolition.
The UP government claims that earlier this month, bulldozers destroyed a section of Madani Mosque in Kushinagar district, which was purportedly constructed on “encroached” territory.
The bench said: “It is submitted that the structure in question was constructed on private land owned by the petitioners. The construction thereon was also with the due sanction of municipal authorities as per the sanction order of 1999. He further submits that though the said sanction was sought to be revoked, by the order of the High Court dated 12.02.2006, the said revocation was set aside… the effect being that the sanction is still in vogue.”
“He further submits that on the basis of a complaint, the matter was enquired by the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM). The SDM carried out an inspection and also issued a press note on 22.12.2024. As per the inspection, the construction was found to be in accordance with the sanction plan. It also notes that the construction which was found to be non-sanctioned was removed by the petitioners themselves,” the order read.
The dispute over Madani Masjid traces back to its construction approval in 1999. The municipality revoked the approval on April 18, 2000.In response, the Masjid Committee filed a petition with the Allahabad High Court, which overturned the municipality’s decision on April 12, 2006. The Committee asserted that the mosque’s construction was completed between 1999 and 2002 as per the approved plan, with no further additions or encroachments.
To prevent future disputes, the municipality had built a boundary wall during the mosque’s construction, which was later demolished. The Masjid Committee then used this boundary wall to construct a tin shack that served as a restroom.
The controversy began when local BJP leader Ram Bachan Singh opposed the mosque’s development, alleging encroachment on Nagar Palika land and deviations from the approved plan. Singh claimed he had been raising objections for 20 years, but no action was taken. On Dec. 17, he wanted to meet Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath but was unable to secure an appointment. Subsequently, he sent complaints to Hata and six other BJP MLAs from Kushinagar district, who later met with the Chief Minister. Following their meeting, the CM directed the district magistrate to take action.
Singh, aVHP activist, has claimed an active role in the Babri Masjid demolition. He had previously contested the Nagar Palika president election as an independent candidate after being denied a BJP ticket. The election was won by Samajwadi Party candidate Ramanand Singh.
On Feb. 11, an 18-member Samajwadi Party delegation, led by Leader of the Opposition Lal Bihari Yadav, visited Hata following the mosque’s demolition. Yadav accused the Yogi administration of targeting the mosque to incite communal unrest. State Congress President Ajay Rai, along with former President Ajay Kumar Lallu and Vishwavijay Singh, also visited Hata on Feb. 10-12, condemning the demolition as illegal and questioning the government’s disregard for judicial rulings.
As tensions from the Kushinagar mosque demolition persisted, authorities in Gorakhpur issued a demolition notice to another mosque. On Feb. 15, 2025, the GDAserved a notice to Shoaib Ahmed, son of the mosque’s late custodian, alleging unauthorised construction. Ahmed refuted the claims, stating that all legal procedures were followed. In Meerut, Bajrang Dal members lodged complaints against a mosque, while in Shimla, the Sanjauli Mosque controversy resurfaced. The right-wing group DevbhoomiSangharsh Samiti issued a 15-day ultimatum demanding the removal of allegedly ‘unauthorised structures’.
After targeting ancient and historical mosques, it seems to be new modus operandi of the Brahminist forces to target newly constructed mosques under the guise of illegal construction. It is said that they started fomenting Hindu-Muslim conflict to save themselves from the fury of awakened common Hindus and Dalits.
A broader pattern appears to be emerging, with Hindutva groups leveraging bulldozers as an oppressive tool for ‘collective punishment’ against a particular community. This trend, initiated by UP CM Yogi Adityanath – dubbed “Bulldozer Baba” – has since spread to Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Haryana, and Mumbai. Former MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also gained a reputation as “Bulldozer Mama” for similar actions.
A recent report by Amnesty International documented 128 demolitions affecting 617 people, predominantly targeting Muslims. Amnesty’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, condemned these actions as “heinous and disgusting,” asserting that such evictions are unfair, illegal, and discriminatory.
As legal battles continue and tensions escalate, these incidents underscore the growing communal and political divide, raising pressing concerns about the rule of law and minority rights in India.