In a post on social media platform X, she called for an immediate halt to the campaign, urging the government to resolve disputes through the "rule of law through law."

 Mayawati stated: "The ongoing government campaign in the entire state of Uttar Pradesh, including the mosque in Saharanpur district, which daily declares mosques illegal in great haste and proceeds to demolish them, is not right. The government should immediately halt this and certainly adopt other measures to resolve the issue in order to avoid such negative situations."

She emphasized that a constitutional and secular government has a responsibility to respect people of all religions and protect their religious places. Referring specifically to mosques, she noted their central role in Islamic worship and urged authorities to keep this in mind while handling such disputes.

The BSP chief also raised concerns over the demolition of houses belonging to accused individuals without following established legal procedures, arguing that families should not be collectively punished without due process.

Mayawati's remarks came as demolition began on a 70-year-old mosque located within the Saharanpur Collectorate complex. The City Magistrate's court had declared the mosque illegal on July 17 and ordered its demolition, and the District Judge's court upheld the order on September 4, dismissing the mosque committee's appeal. The court also imposed a compensation of approximately Rs 6.41 crore (around $770,000) in connection with alleged encroachment and misuse of government land.

The demolition has triggered widespread political reactions. Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan was reportedly placed under house arrest, while Congress MP Imran Masood has stated he will approach the High Court against the action.

The administration has claimed that the demolition is being carried out in accordance with the court order and legal procedures.

Source: ANI