“Cannot bulldoze our masjid”: Owaisi on Saharanpur mosque demolition

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday condemned the demolition of the mosque at the Saharanpur Collectorate, asserting that historical records dating back to 1911 establish the existence of the place of worship and stating, “You cannot bulldoze our masjid just because you have an itch.”

Owaisi Questions Religious Freedom

In a post on X, Owaisi questioned the constitutional protection of religious freedom for Muslims following the demolition, which took place at around 5 AM. “The mosque in the Saharanpur Collectorate was demolished at 5 AM this morning. Does the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion no longer apply to Muslims? Why is it that our places of worship are constantly bulldozed on flimsy grounds?” Owaisi said.

Cites Historical and Legal Arguments

He claimed that the mosque committee had produced records dating back to 1911 to establish the existence of the mosque and said prayers had been offered there continuously for more than a century. https://x.com/asadowaisi/status/2096119527381823815 “The mosque committee produced records going back to 1911 to establish its existence. Prayers have been offered there continuously for more than a century. This is the very definition of waqf by user, which is still protected as waqf under law,” he said.

Owaisi also questioned the government’s claim over the property and referred to provisions concerning limitation and possession of immovable property. “The Limitation Act does not ordinarily allow the Government an unlimited period to wake up one fine morning and assert possession over immovable property,” he said.

He further argued that the long-standing possession of the property should be considered in determining its legal status. “There was more than a century of open, continuous and public possession? The State cannot pretend that this possession began yesterday, hence the principle of adverse possession would apply even if we concede to the state’s arguments,” the AIMIM chief said.

Owaisi also claimed that the mosque predated the Collectorate. “The mosque came first, the collectorate later,” he said, adding, “For some people, perhaps the very sight of a masjid causes pain. That is their problem, not ours.”

“Look away if you must. You cannot bulldoze our masjid just because you have an itch. My religious freedom is not dependent on your mercy,” he added.

Demolition Follows Court Order

The remarks came after demolition of the structure began at the Saharanpur Collectorate following a court order upholding its removal. The District Judge’s court on September 4 dismissed the appeal filed by the mosque committee and upheld the City Magistrate’s earlier order.

On July 17, the City Magistrate’s court had ordered demolition of the structure and imposed compensation of approximately Rs 6.41 crore in connection with alleged encroachment and misuse of government land.

Saharanpur DIG Abhishek Singh said the City Magistrate’s court had found the mosque to have been illegally constructed on government land and that the subsequent appeal had been dismissed. He said additional PAC and RAF personnel had been deployed at strategic locations to maintain law and order, while authorities were also monitoring social media to prevent rumours.

Political Backlash and Legal Recourse

The demolition has triggered political reactions, with Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan alleging that she was placed under house arrest in Kairana while attempting to visit Saharanpur.

Congress MP Imran Masood also criticised the demolition and claimed that the mosque dated back to before 1911. He alleged that the Waqf Board was not made a party to the proceedings and said the matter would be pursued through legal channels.

The administration, however, has maintained that the demolition was carried out following the court’s order and in accordance with legal procedures. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)