Bulldozer Action in Sambhal: Mosque, Marriage Hall on Government Land to Be Removed

In Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, authorities have taken decisive action against unauthorised constructions on government land, demolishing a marriage hall and scheduling the removal of a mosque after coordination with the mosque’s management committee.

The district administration had provided the mosque’s management committee a four-day window to dismantle the structure themselves following a formal request for a stay. Officials confirmed that the committee has opted to comply and remove the mosque within the allotted period. Ahead of the demolition in Asmoli, the police conducted a flag march to ensure security and maintain public order.

The action comes amid ongoing debates over demographic and security assessments in Sambhal. Last month, Muslim clerics in the district rejected a judicial commission’s 2024 communal violence report, arguing that its claims regarding the Muslim population—stated as 85 percent—were misleading. One cleric noted, “There has been no major development or rise in employment here, so the Muslim population has neither increased nor decreased,” challenging the report’s accuracy.

The 450-page commission report, submitted to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, highlighted a significant demographic shift in Sambhal since Independence, documenting a decline in the Hindu population from about 45 percent in 1947 to 15–20 percent today. The panel linked these changes to repeated communal riots and alleged political appeasement. It also recorded 15 communal riots since 1947, including violent clashes in November 2024 triggered by a court-mandated survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid.

Security concerns were flagged in the report, including infiltration by extremist groups, use of foreign-manufactured weapons, and the excavation of foundations believed to belong to a historic temple.

Responding to the report, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “The double-engine government will not allow the demography to change. Anyone who dares will be forced to leave themselves.” The state home department is reviewing the commission’s findings, with plans for security measures and cultural restoration expected to be presented to the cabinet and assembly in the coming weeks.

This move underscores the state government’s strict approach toward encroachments on government land and the broader effort to maintain law, order, and cultural heritage in the region.