Controversy Erupts Over Mosque Demolition in Sambhal, UP
SP MP decries 'mosque' demolition in Sambhal; police cite illegal construction

Image: Asianet Newsable
Samajwadi Party MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq condemned the demolition of a nearly 150-year-old mosque in Kaserua village, Sambhal district, Uttar Pradesh, claiming it violates constitutional rights. Police justified the action as part of a campaign against illegal encroachments, citing the structure's location on cemetery land.
- 01Zia Ur Rehman Barq criticized the demolition, calling it a violation of Article 25 of the Constitution and the Places of Worship Act.
- 02The mosque was reportedly built on government cemetery land, leading police to classify it as an illegal structure.
- 03Barq plans to initiate legal action against officials for overstepping their jurisdiction regarding Waqf property.
- 04Police discovered posters and flags during the demolition, which they claim could incite communal tensions.
- 05The incident follows previous unrest in Bareilly linked to similar controversies over religious sentiments.
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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.
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The demolition of the mosque may exacerbate communal tensions in Sambhal, affecting local communities' social harmony.
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