Muslim families left without work; questions raised on the rule of law in Uttar Pradesh
AYODHYA/NEW DELHI – Anger and fear spread across parts of Ayodhya after the Uttar Pradesh administration demolished several small shops in a Muslim-majority area, even as the land dispute linked to the site remains under consideration before a court. The action has left many families without income and has renewed claims of unfair targeting of Muslims in the state.
The demolition took place on Thursday in Adarsh Nagar Panchayat, Janki Ward, near Maa Kamakhya Dham. Locals said bulldozers arrived with police and revenue officials early in the day and pulled down shops that had supported families for years.
Many shop owners said the matter related to the land, recorded as Gata No. 1565, is listed before a court and the next hearing is fixed for 10 February. They claimed the action was taken in haste and without waiting for the court’s view.
Former village head Syed Nafisul Hasan Abid said the move had pushed poor families into distress. “The case is before a court and the hearing date is close. Even then, the administration forced the action and ran bulldozers on shops run by poor people,” he said. “This has broken their only source of income.”
Shopkeepers standing near the debris spoke of shock and helplessness. One of them said, “I earn my living from this shop. I have children to feed. If the court had decided against us, we would have accepted it. Why was this hurry?”
The administration defended its decision. Nagar Panchayat Executive Officer Nikhilesh Mishra said notices had been issued earlier. “Notices were served 15 days ago. The encroachment was not removed by the occupants. After that, the revenue team and police carried out the drive to clear the land,” he said.
Officials claimed the land was needed for a sanctioned project. According to the administration, approval had been granted to build a complex and shops on the site, and construction was delayed due to what it described as encroachment.
Residents rejected this version. They said the legal process was still active and that any action should have waited for the court. Community members gathered after the demolition and raised slogans, saying the drive showed bias.
Local Muslim leaders said the action fits a wider pattern seen across Uttar Pradesh. “Time and again, we see bulldozers used in Muslim areas, often when cases are still before courts,” said a community representative. “This creates fear and sends a message that Muslims will be punished first and heard later.”
Several people pointed to earlier incidents where mosques, madrasas, and shrines were removed even when legal protection was claimed. They said the homes of people accused in cases were also demolished without final verdicts.
A senior activist said, “The Supreme Court has clearly spoken on such actions. Even then, these drives continue. It looks like the law is applied in one way for some and in another way for Muslims.”
Legal observers said demolitions linked to disputed land require extra care. One lawyer, requesting anonymity, said, “When a case is listed and a date is fixed, any irreversible step raises serious questions. People lose property and income in a matter of hours.”
For families affected in Ayodhya, the issue is immediate survival. Women and children were seen sitting near the rubble, waiting as men tried to salvage goods. A shopkeeper’s wife said, “We are not asking for a favour. We are asking for justice and time until the court decides.”
As night fell, the area remained tense. Police presence continued, and residents said they feared more action. Community elders appealed for calm while seeking legal help.
The demolition has added to the debate on the use of bulldozers in Uttar Pradesh and the impact on Indian Muslims. For those whose shops were reduced to dust, the loss is not political talk but empty hands and uncertain days ahead.
