Residents in border districts join hands against notices issued to hundreds of mosques under a security operation, while rights groups move court and question the manner in which demolitions are being carried out.
JAIPUR/BARMER – A growing controversy has emerged in Rajasthan after notices were reportedly issued to hundreds of mosques in border areas adjoining Pakistan, prompting joint protests by Hindu and Muslim residents and raising questions over the ongoing demolition drive.
The issue has become particularly sensitive in districts located along the international border, where local communities say places of worship are being targeted under an operation launched by security authorities.
According to reports, the Border Security Force (BSF) has initiated an exercise known as “Operation Clean” in border regions of Rajasthan. The operation covers nearly 1,070 kilometres of the India-Pakistan border across four districts. As part of the exercise, notices have reportedly been issued to around 350 mosques, while four mosques have already been demolished.
The developments have triggered concern among local residents, community leaders and civil rights organisations.
The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) has approached the Rajasthan High Court seeking a stay on the demolition drive. The organisation has questioned both the legal basis and the manner in which the action is being carried out.
Meanwhile, opposition to the demolitions has spread beyond the Muslim community, with many Hindu residents joining demonstrations in support of those affected.
In Barmer district, large numbers of Hindus and Muslims have participated together in protests against the notices and demolition actions.
Participants in the demonstrations said the issue concerns justice and equal treatment rather than religion alone.
Several Hindu residents who joined the protests alleged that only mosques were being targeted.
“People of different faiths have lived together here for generations,” one protester said. “We have shared each other’s joys and hardships. If one community feels it is being treated unfairly, it is our responsibility to stand with them.”
Members of the Muslim community welcomed the support and described it as an example of long-standing communal harmony in the region.
The protests have gathered momentum in recent days, drawing attention from political leaders, social organisations and legal activists.
Speaking to the media, Jamaat-e-Islami Rajasthan State President Nizamuddin expressed concern that the threat to mosques had not entirely disappeared.
“The danger still exists,” he said. “But over the last few days, members of the Hindu community have also started raising their voices in support of Muslims. Because of this, the pace of the bulldozer action has slowed, and the administration is now acting more cautiously. At present, there is some relief.”
Rights activists have also questioned the procedure followed during the operation.
APCR General Secretary Nadeem Khan claimed that notices were often delivered shortly before demolition action was taken.
“Across the border region, around 350 mosques have reportedly received notices,” he said. “In some cases, notices were pasted during the night and demolition action followed the next morning. This raises serious concerns about due process.”
Khan also questioned whether similar action had been initiated against other religious structures.
“The important question is whether any temples or gurdwaras have received such notices,” he said. “Is the perceived threat limited only to mosques and Muslims?”
He further argued that mosques and Muslim communities had existed in the border areas since Independence without being viewed as a security concern.
“These communities have lived here for decades. If there was no threat all these years, why has such a concern suddenly emerged now?” he asked.
The controversy has brought attention to the delicate balance between security considerations and the protection of religious and constitutional rights.
Officials have maintained that actions in border regions are being carried out in accordance with security requirements and administrative procedures. However, detailed responses to the allegations raised by community groups and rights organisations have not yet been made public.
As legal proceedings move forward and protests continue, the matter is likely to remain under close public scrutiny.
For many residents of Rajasthan’s border districts, however, the most notable development has been the rare display of Hindu-Muslim unity, with members of both communities standing together and calling for transparency, fairness and due process in any action affecting places of worship.
