Congress leaders claimed the demolition was carried out without prior notice and in a “planned manner.”
Mohammad bin Ismail | Clarion India
NEW DELHI — The demolition of the Madani Mosque in Kushinagar has sparked outrage, with the Uttar Pradesh Congress accusing the Yogi Adityanath-led government of deliberately disrupting social harmony and targeting minority communities. The incident has drawn sharp criticism from political and religious organisations, with the Congress holding a press conference in Lucknow to condemn the action.
On February 9, the Madani Mosque in Hata Nagar Panchayat, Kushinagar district, was demolished by authorities. The Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee President, Ajay Rai, claimed the demolition was carried out without prior notice and in a “planned manner.” He stated, “The Yogi government is creating an environment against minorities, especially Muslims, to hide its failures. They are misusing government machinery to damage religious places.”
Rai highlighted that the High Court’s stay on the matter had ended on February 8, and the mosque was demolished the very next day, a Sunday, when courts were closed. “Several bulldozers were deployed simultaneously on a holiday to ensure the mosque committee had no chance to approach the court. This is a clear suppression of constitutional rights,” he alleged.
The Congress leader also pointed fingers at local officials, accusing Hata Nagar Palika Chairman Ramanand Singh and Executive Officer Minu Singh of playing a key role in the demolition. He further claimed that the complaint leading to the action was filed by Ram Bachchan Singh, a leader of the Hindu Yuva Vahini, who had “no connection to the land or the matter.”
The mosque committee has refuted the administration’s claims, stating that they had submitted all necessary documents in response to previous notices. “Despite providing all evidence, the mosque was demolished due to prejudice. This government is only interested in vote bank politics through religious appeasement,” Rai said.
However, Rai praised the people of Kushinagar for maintaining peace and brotherhood despite the provocation. “The Yogi government’s efforts to disrupt harmony have failed because of the people’s commitment to mutual respect,” he added.
The press conference was attended by several senior Congress leaders, including Dr. CP Rai, Naseemuddin Siddiqui, Manish Shrivastava Hinduvi, and Sudhanshu Bajpai. They collectively condemned the demolition, calling it a “blatant attempt to polarise society for political gains.”
As tensions simmer in Kushinagar, the incident has reignited debates over the state government’s handling of religious structures and its impact on communal harmony. The Congress has vowed to stand with the affected community, promising to fight for justice “shoulder to shoulder.”
The Yogi government has yet to respond to these allegations.
