Locals fear the demolition is politically driven, while bulldozers stand by under police guard on Jagdishpur Road in Amethi’s Jais town.
Team Clarion
AMETHI – A tense situation unfolded in the Uttar Pradesh city of Amethi on Friday as a Muslim family claimed their homes were being targeted for demolition without prior notice. The family of Noor Mohammad, who says his ancestors have lived on the same land for over two centuries, alleges that local authorities are working with land mafias and pushing to evict them to make way for a bus station.
Officials from the Revenue Department, led by Tehsildar Ajay Singh, arrived on Jagdishpur Road in Jais town around 3 pm on Friday with a police force and two bulldozers. The team began measuring land listed under plot number 2143, which has now been identified for a proposed bus stop. The administration insists the land is under “illegal encroachment” and claims the area will be cleared soon after the measurements are completed.
However, Noor Mohammad and his family strongly refute the claims of illegal occupation.
“We were born here. My father, my grandfather — all lived and died here. We’ve been here for more than two hundred years,” Noor Mohammad said. “They didn’t even give us a notice. What kind of justice is this?”
His sons, Israr and Dilshad, currently live in modest homes on the land. His daughter, Zubaida Khatoon, was even granted housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana on the same plot — further fuelling the family’s confusion over the sudden threat of demolition.
“How can the government give us a house here under its own scheme and then turn around and say we are encroaching?” asked Zubaida. “This is not just unfair, it’s heartbreaking.”
By the afternoon, tension gripped the area as locals gathered, watching the Revenue Department team accompanied by a large police presence. Many feared that the bulldozers — already stationed at the site — would be put into action any moment.
While no demolition took place on Friday, officials made it clear that the land, once measured, will be cleared without delay.
Speaking anonymously, a senior police officer on the spot said, “We are only here to maintain law and order. The Revenue Department is carrying out legal procedures.”
But locals believe otherwise. Several people in the area voiced concern that the action appears to be selective and aimed at Muslims.
“Why are only Muslim homes being marked in the name of development?” asked a neighbour, refusing to be named out of fear. “There are other constructions nearby too — but no bulldozers there.”
The most serious allegation comes from the family’s claim that no formal notice had been served before the land was marked for demolition.
“There was no letter, no notice, no hearing. Suddenly they arrive with police and machines,” said Noor Mohammad. “The Lekhpal and Patwari are working hand in glove with the land mafia and even the local chairman. They want to grab our land.”
Several locals backed his statement and questioned the legality of measuring land and planning demolition without following proper procedure.
Advocate Shafiqur Rehman, a resident of nearby Sultanpur and known for handling land dispute cases, said such actions violate basic principles of justice.
“Even if there’s a claim of encroachment, the law requires due process — that includes notice, hearing, and legal documentation,” he explained. “You can’t just turn up with bulldozers and treat people like criminals. And when it comes to Muslims, this is happening far too often.”
In recent years, bulldozer action in Uttar Pradesh — often portrayed by the BJP-led state government as a crackdown on “illegal constructions” — has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups for disproportionately affecting Muslim families and properties.
This latest incident adds to the growing list of Muslim homes being threatened or destroyed without due process.
“There’s no denying the pattern,” said a retired government employee, Mohd Salman, watching the scene unfold from a distance. “It’s a silent message to Muslims — that your lives and homes mean nothing.”
Political analysts too have criticised such moves, accusing local authorities of bending to Hindutva-driven policies that target Muslims under the guise of law enforcement or development.
“These are not isolated events,” said Faizan Ahmed, a Delhi-based political observer. “There is a clear ideological bias, and actions like this are meant to create fear and submission among Muslims.”
Human rights organisations and local activists have now demanded that the Amethi administration halt the demolition plan until a fair and transparent investigation is carried out.
“There should be a public inquiry,” said activist Nazma Parveen. “Let independent voices review the land records, question the lack of notice, and examine if the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana houses were given legally. You can’t flatten people’s lives for a bus stop.”
Opposition leaders have also started taking note of the incident. Samajwadi Party leader Rafiq Ansari condemned the move and said, “This government is not building infrastructure, it’s building hatred. If someone has been living on land for 200 years, how can you call that illegal overnight?”
As the land measurement continued, Noor Mohammad sat quietly on the edge of his cot, surrounded by neighbours offering moral support. The sounds of JCB machines nearby grew louder.
“We are poor people,” he said. “We don’t have connections or money. All we have is this land and our dignity. And now they want to take that too.”
His words reflect the anxiety and helplessness felt by many in his situation — people who believe they are being treated unfairly not because of legal facts, but because of their identity.
“This isn’t just about land,” Noor Mohammad added. “It’s about who we are. And right now, being Muslim feels like a crime in its own country.”
