Saharanpur, September 5, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The demolition of a mosque at the Saharanpur Collectorate by the Uttar Pradesh administration on Saturday triggered a political confrontation, with Opposition parties questioning the legality and timing of the action while the BJP maintained that it was carried out in accordance with the law.
The administration demolished the structure after the City Magistrate declared it an illegal construction on government land within the Collectorate premises. The mosque committee subsequently challenged the order, but its appeal was dismissed by the District and Sessions Court, clearing the way for the demolition.
Heavy security was deployed around the Collectorate, with personnel from the police, Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and Rapid Reaction Force (RRF) stationed in the area.
DIG Abhishek Singh said the action was being carried out in accordance with the City Magistrate’s order, which had been upheld after the mosque committee’s appeal was rejected.
The demolition immediately became a political flashpoint in western Uttar Pradesh.
Congress MP Imran Masood alleged that the action violated constitutional and legal safeguards. He said the mosque had existed for decades and claimed that land records, Waqf registration and the principle of “Waqf by User” had not been adequately considered. Masood said the matter would be challenged before the Allahabad High Court and the Supreme Court.
Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan, who was stopped from travelling to Saharanpur and placed under house arrest, described the demolition as “shameful”. She alleged that the authorities acted hastily without giving the Muslim side sufficient time to pursue legal remedies. Referring to the Places of Worship Act and the concept of “Waqf by User”, she accused the administration of making a “mockery of law and order”.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav also condemned the action, saying those who disrespect other faiths cannot claim to be true followers of Sanatan Dharma. Invoking the principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, he accused the government of giving the issue a communal colour.
BSP supremo Mayawati urged the Yogi Adityanath government to stop what she described as the hurried demolition of mosques declared illegal. She called for alternative mechanisms to settle such disputes and said a constitutional and secular government must protect religious places and maintain communal harmony.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi questioned whether constitutional guarantees of religious freedom continued to apply equally to Muslims. He claimed that records existed showing the mosque’s long-standing presence and argued that such disputes should not be resolved through bulldozers.
The BJP rejected the Opposition’s political framing of the issue. BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said government agencies were acting according to law and that structures should be assessed on whether they were legal or illegal rather than on the basis of their religious identity.
The demolition has since emerged as a fresh political flashpoint in Uttar Pradesh, with competing claims centred on religious freedom, property rights, due process and the extent of administrative powers.
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