India demolishes mosque near site of new Hindu temple
Authorities in northern India tore down a decades-old mosque near the under-construction Kalki Dham temple, part of a broader demolition pattern targeting Muslim sites
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A mosque that stood for three decades in the northern Indian district of Sambhal was demolished on Tuesday, with authorities claiming it had been built illegally on public land near the under-construction Kalki Dham temple — a high-profile Hindu pilgrimage project backed by ruling party leaders.
The mosque, known locally as Choti Masjid, occupied about 200 square yards and was located roughly 400 meters from the temple site. Officials said it had encroached on land designated as a public park. The demolition took place under heavy police deployment from three stations and the Provincial Armed Constabulary, according to district officials.
Local residents said the structure had long served as a neighborhood mosque, while authorities maintained it stood on “encroached” land. A local administrative official overseeing the operation said that “the mosque structure has been completely removed,” asserting that the action was taken in compliance with a court order.
The site lies in western Uttar Pradesh, a politically sensitive region that has become a focal point for Hindu nationalist expansion under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The state government has promoted the Kalki Dham project — whose foundation was laid in February 2024 by several senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders — as part of its plan to boost Hindu religious tourism.
Tuesday’s demolition was not an isolated event. It marks the fourth mosque razed in Sambhal in recent months, as authorities pursue what they describe as an anti-encroachment campaign targeting buildings allegedly erected on “pond” or “public” land.
Earlier this month, officials bulldozed a 30,000-square-foot wedding hall and issued demolition notices to another mosque in Raya Buzurg village. In June, the Raza-e-Mustafa Mosque in Chandausi town was also torn down, along with 34 nearby homes, after officials claimed it was built on municipal land.
Locals disputed the claims, pointing out that the mosque had electricity and water connections sanctioned by government departments.
Human rights advocates say such demolitions have increasingly targeted Muslim neighborhoods since 2022, when several BJP-led states began deploying bulldozers as a symbol of punitive governance. The practice, analysts argue, amounts to collective punishment and religious discrimination carried out under the pretext of urban regulation.
While authorities insist the actions are lawful, Muslim residents describe them as part of a wider pattern of erasure — one that parallels the expansion of Hindu religious infrastructure across northern India.
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