NEW DELHI: Indian authorities have demolished at least 23 mosques, shrines and Muslim religious sites across several states over the past 45 days, according to media reports, prompting renewed concerns from rights advocates over religious freedom and the treatment of the country’s Muslim minority.
Among the structures reportedly demolished was a mosque said to be around 1,000 years old.
The demolitions were carried out in the states of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Haryana, with authorities citing anti-encroachment drives and road expansion projects as the reasons for the actions.
Rights Groups Raise Legal Concerns
Human rights organisations have questioned the legality of several demolitions, alleging that due legal procedures were not followed in these cases.
According to rights groups, affected communities were, in certain instances, not given adequate notice before the structures were demolished, raising concerns over compliance with legal safeguards and due process.
International Concern
US-based advocacy organisation Justice For All has also expressed concern over the recent demolitions, calling for the protection of religious freedom and the equal application of the law.
These cases have added to growing concerns among rights advocates over the condition of religious freedom in India, where Muslim organisations have repeatedly alleged that mosque demolitions, criminal investigations and administrative actions disproportionately target the country’s largest religious minority.
The demolitions have intensified criticism of India’s human rights record, with rights advocates arguing that the repeated targeting of Muslim religious sites reflects a broader pattern of discrimination against the country’s largest religious minority.
Critics say failure to follow due legal process in several cases has raised serious questions about the rule of law, equal protection and religious freedom, fuelling renewed calls for independent scrutiny and accountability.
