Muslim bodies question extraordinary haste in Saharanpur mosque demolition
Prominent Muslim organizations have condemned the rapid demolition of a century-old mosque in Saharanpur, arguing that the administration acted with bias and denied due process. They claim the demolition occurred before legal appeals could be exhausted, calling it a blow to democratic principles.
Why it matters
The incident highlights tensions regarding land disputes, religious sites, and the conduct of local administrative authorities in India.
Noted Muslim bodies, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, have spoken in one voice to “condemn the demolition of a century-old mosque on the Saharanpur Collectorate premises”, terming it “a serious blow to the principles of justice and due process of law”.
Mahmood Madani, president of one of the factions of Jamiat, said, “The manner in which the demolition was carried out raised fundamental questions about the administration’s conduct. Since the dispute concerned land within the Collectorate premises, the administration and the magistrate had themselves become parties to the matter. It is a universally recognised principle of law that no party can be a judge in its own cause”.
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