Zia Ur Rehman Barq, a member of the Samajwadi Party, has voiced strong opposition to the demolition of a mosque in Kaserua village, Sambhal district, Uttar Pradesh, asserting that the nearly 150-year-old structure's destruction contravenes constitutional rights and the Places of Worship Act. Barq described the demolition as part of a broader trend of targeting religious sites, alleging that it reflects the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's strategy to create divisions for electoral purposes. He emphasized that the mosque was registered as Waqf property, and only the Waqf Tribunal has jurisdiction over such matters, not local officials. Meanwhile, Sambhal police justified the demolition, stating it was part of an operation to remove illegal encroachments, claiming the mosque was built on cemetery land. During the operation, police found posters and flags that they believe could incite communal unrest. This incident is set against a backdrop of previous violence in Bareilly related to similar religious tensions, raising concerns about potential further unrest in the region.