Top News

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday strongly condemned the demolition of a century-old mosque at the Saharanpur Collectorate premises in Uttar Pradesh, asserting that "religious freedom is not dependent on mercy" and questioning the constitutional safeguards for Muslims.

The mosque was demolished by local authorities at around 5:00 AM on Saturday following a judicial order that upheld its removal on allegations of illegal encroachment on government land.

Owaisi Questions Constitutional Safeguards

Reacting to the demolition, Owaisi said historical records dating back to 1911 establish the existence of the mosque and argued that the place of worship predates the civil collectorate building. "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 told ANI.

The AIMIM chief further pointed to records presented by the mosque committee, which he said showed that prayers had been offered at the site continuously for more than a century. He argued that the long-standing use of the property could qualify it as "Waqf by user" under applicable law. "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 challenged the government's claim over the land, referring to provisions of the Limitation Act and the legal principle of adverse possession. He argued that the government could not assert possession over property after more than a century of open and continuous use. "The Limitation Act does not ordinarily allow the Government an unlimited period to wake up one fine morning and assert possession over immovable property," Owaisi said. "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 mosque came first, the collectorate later," he added.

Taking a strong exception to the demolition, Owaisi said religious freedom should not depend on administrative discretion. "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 said.

Other Political Reactions and Official Stand

The remarks came after the Saharanpur Collectorate mosque was demolished early Saturday following a court order upholding its removal. The District Judge's court on September 4 dismissed the mosque committee's appeal and upheld the City Magistrate's earlier order. The City Magistrate's court had on July 17 ordered demolition of the structure and imposed compensation of approximately Rs 6.41 crore in connection with alleged encroachment and misuse of government land.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav referred to the reported house arrest of SP MP Iqra Hasan ahead of her proposed visit to Saharanpur. "House arrest or not, you tell me who is a Sanatani? A true Sanatani will never hurt another religion. A true Sanatani will not play with others' faith," he said.

Hasan had alleged that she was prevented from travelling to Saharanpur and criticised the administration for not allowing sufficient time to approach the High Court. She termed the demolition "extremely shameful" and said the matter would be challenged legally.

Saharanpur DIG Abhishek Singh, however, said the demolition was being carried out following the court's order and in accordance with legal procedures. He said additional PAC and RAF personnel had been deployed at strategic locations and that social media was being monitored to prevent rumours.

Congress MP Imran Masood has also criticised the demolition, claiming that the mosque existed before 1911 and alleging that the Waqf Board was not made a party to the proceedings.

Yadav further alleged that the BJP was using religious issues for political gains and warned the government against relying on such tactics."Their delusion is that they can win elections by attacking religious sites like this. I want to warn this government: you will not be able to win this way," he said. (ANI)