Congress questions late-night demolition of Madina Mosque in Delhi

Congress leader Udit Raj on Wednesday questioned the late-night demolition of portions of the Madina Mosque and adjoining structures in Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh, alleging that authorities do not apply the law uniformly when dealing with illegal constructions.

Raj’s remarks came after civic authorities carried out a demolition drive on Max Hospital Road in the area as part of an anti-encroachment and road-widening exercise.

Questioning the action against what authorities described as illegal extensions of the mosque, Raj alleged that enforcement agencies selectively target structures.

“Illegal construction in Delhi is continuous; it’s a regular affair. Right now, thousands of illegal constructions must be going on, which happen through coordination between the police and the corporation. No one can stop it. But they can choose who to stop and who not to stop,” Raj said.

He further alleged that the action was linked to the religious identity of the structure.

“Yes, that (illegal construction) happens, but what’s important here is that because it’s a mosque and belongs to Muslims, it was stopped. Had it been a temple, it wouldn’t have been stopped. There would be no one to stop it; they would say it’s a matter of faith. Then it becomes a matter of faith, and nobody stops it,” he said.

“In the eyes of the law, everyone should be equal, but that is simply not the case anymore,” Raj added.

The demolition operation was carried out late at night, with a heavy security deployment at the site. Police and paramilitary personnel were stationed in the area, while security forces were also deployed on surrounding roads as the operation continued.

Several municipal officials, along with bulldozers and dumpers, were present during the drive. Portions of the Madina Mosque and structures adjoining it were demolished.

According to local residents, preparations had been made for the demolition of portions of the approximately 30-year-old Madina Masjid, located in Shalimar village.

Civic authorities, however, maintained that the structures removed during the drive were illegal encroachments on public land. Officials said the action was part of an approved road-widening project aimed at removing structural bottlenecks and improving traffic movement along the stretch.

The demolition has drawn political attention, with Raj questioning whether similar enforcement action is being taken against illegal constructions irrespective of the religious identity of the structures involved.

With IANS inputs