AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday condemned the demolition of a mosque inside the Saharanpur Collectorate complex in Uttar Pradesh, questioning whether the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion continues to apply equally to Muslims.
Owaisi further announced that AIMIM would respond to the issue through “constitutional and political means”, signalling that the demolition is likely to develop into a broader political issue in Uttar Pradesh, where assembly elections are due in February -March 2027.
The mosque was demolished by authorities early Saturday following a court order. Authorities maintained that the demolition was carried out in accordance with the legal process. A district court subsequently dismissed an appeal against the order.
The political controversy comes after the City Magistrate’s July order held that the mosque occupied 315 square metres of government land and ordered its removal, along with compensation of about Rs 6.41 crore.
The action came after a Saharanpur court upheld an earlier order declaring the structure an unauthorised occupation of government land.
He also questioned the constitutional safeguards available to Muslims, asking whether the guarantee of religious freedom still applied to them. “They are demolishing shrines (Dargahs) and destroying graveyards. Owaisi also criticised the timing of the action and argued that the mosque’s representatives should have been allowed to pursue further legal remedies.
Because you have an itch, reacting to the demolition in a post on X, Owaisi said, “You cannot bulldoze our masjid just.
They are targeting only Muslims,” Owaisi said, according to his video remarks. He said, “Natural justice demands that they be allowed to approach higher courts.”
