Had it been temple, this wouldn't have happened, says Cong leader on mosque demolition in Delhi's Shalimar Bhag

New Delhi: Congress leader Udit Raj on Wednesday questioned the late-night demolition drive on portions of the Madina Mosque and adjoining structures in Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh, alleging that authorities do not apply the law equally when dealing with illegal constructions.

His remarks came after a late-night demolition drive was carried out by civic authorities in the area as part of an anti-encroachment and road-widening exercise.

Speaking about the bulldozer action against the illegal extensions of the mosque, Raj said, “Illegal construction in Delhi is continuous; it’s a regular affair. Right now, thousands of illegal constructions must be going on, which happen through coordination between the police and the corporation. No one can stop it. But they can choose who to stop and who not to stop."

"Yes, that (illegal construction) happens, but what’s important here is that because it’s a mosque and belongs to Muslims, it was stopped. Had it been a temple, it wouldn’t have been stopped. There would be no one to stop it; they would say it’s a matter of faith. Then it becomes a matter of faith, and nobody stops it,” he said.

“In the eyes of the law, everyone should be equal, but that is simply not the case anymore,” he added.

The demolition operation was conducted late at night on Max Hospital Road in Shalimar Bagh, with civic authorities describing the action as part of an anti-encroachment and road-widening exercise.

Portions of the Madina Mosque and structures adjoining it were demolished during the operation. A heavy security deployment was put in place at the site, with police and paramilitary personnel stationed in the area. Security forces were also deployed on surrounding roads as the demolition work continued.

Several municipal officials, along with bulldozers and dumpers, were present during the operation. According to local residents, preparations had been made for the demolition of portions of the approximately 30-year-old Madina Masjid, located in Shalimar village.

The administration, however, has maintained that the structures removed during the drive were illegal encroachments on public land.

Officials said the action was being undertaken as part of an approved road-widening project intended to remove structural bottlenecks and improve traffic movement along the stretch.

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