Not just Mosques, Illegally Constructed Temples Face the Axe Too
On the 8th of February, within the picturesque district of Haldwani in Uttarakhand, a tumultuous incident unfolded as a radical Islamist mob launched a brazen assault on police officials and journalists. This reprehensible act occurred amidst the officials’ diligent efforts to dismantle an illegally constructed mosque and madrassa. The consequence was a scene of chaos, with stones and Molotov cocktails being hurled, resulting in police officers bleeding and journalists sustaining severe injuries, including a tragic loss of life.
Regrettably, instead of acknowledging the unlawful nature of the structures being addressed, the Islamists involved chose to manipulate the narrative on social media, invoking the term “Islamophobia” to portray themselves as victims. Despite the evident illegalities being addressed, the online discourse pivoted towards claims of religious bias, insinuating that only mosques were being targeted while ignoring the broader context of addressing any illicit constructions, irrespective of religious affiliation.
Here are some tweets where individuals with Islamist perspectives attempted to portray the unauthorized construction and its subsequent demolition as a form of bias against the Muslim community. (Gabbar, Sheldon Cooper, Professor Narool, and Molitics)
In response to the assertions made by Islamists, who contend that only mosques and madrassas are being targeted for demolition on the grounds of illegality, an investigation will be conducted to scrutinize the veracity of these claims. We endeavour to present news reports highlighting instances where temples and various unlawfully encroached constructed structures were subjected to demolition.
Also Read: Haldwani Violence: Understand the Sequence of Events Leading to Violence
Commencing our examination in India’s capital, New Delhi, an ABP News report dated July 2, 2023, reveals that the Public Works Department (PWD) undertook the demolition of an unlawfully constructed Hanuman Temple and Mazar. The PWD asserted that these religious structures in Delhi had been erected without legal authorization on encroached land.
According to an April 4, 2023 report by The Indian Express, the Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal temples, which had stood for five decades in Indore, were dismantled. Despite mixed sentiments surrounding the demolition, it transpired peacefully, in stark contrast to the recent violent actions exhibited by the Islamist mob.
On November 8, as reported by Goan Everyday, the High Court issued directives for the demolition of an illegal Dhulapi temple.
On October 12, 2022, as per ETV Bharat, two temples and a tomb were dismantled in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, to facilitate the expansion of the Panipat-Khatima Highway.
On October 3, 2021, The New Indian Express reported that an unlawfully constructed temple in South Delhi’s Defence Colony is slated for demolition.
On July 26, 2022, according to Times Now, an unauthorized Radhe Krishna temple in Gujarat’s Navasari was razed by the District Urban Authority.
Sanatan Prabhat reported on January 5, 2021, that the Delhi government initiated the demolition of an illegal Hanuman temple, which had stood for a century. Despite vehement opposition from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the operation proceeded without any harm to officials. There were no incidents involving the hurling of petrol bombs.
Vishwa Bharath reported on January 10, 2022, that the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government carried out the demolition of the Shri Narasimha Anjaneyar Swamy Temple in Chennai. The justification provided was the illegal construction of the temple, encroaching upon the Adyar riverbed in Varadharajpuram.
On March 29, 2023, as per The Rising Kashmir, the Jammu Development Authority executed the demolition of a structure adjacent to the Shiv Temple. Despite protests from the people of Jammu, the rule of law triumphed and the anti-encroachment initiative was carried upon.
On May 18, as per the Free Press Journal, the Madhya Pradesh government undertook the demolition of a section of the Sheetla Mata temple in Ujjain, citing its illegal construction.
Times Now, reported on April 23, 2022, a temple with a history spanning 300 years in Alwar was dismantled due to its unlawful construction. The demolition was carried out as part of an anti-encroachment initiative, clearing the way for a modern road construction project.
On August 21, 2023, according to NavBharat Times, an unauthorized Sai Mandir in Delhi’s Geeta Colony was razed during an encroachment drive conducted by the Public Works Department (PWD).
As reported by Etv Uttarakhand on April 30, 2022, an unlawfully built temple in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand, underwent demolition. Though met with opposition from locals, the administration engaged in dialogue, successfully ensuring a peaceful resolution.
On January 4, 2024, Only Fact, through its on-site investigation, discovered that in August 2023, the entrance gate of the Shri Pipleshwar Balaji Mandir was removed as a component of a road expansion initiative along Rani Jhansi Road. Additionally, on January 3, 2024, the Jhandewala Temple underwent demolition for the same construction project.
As per The Times of India’s report on May 9, 2023, in Uttarakhand’s Kumaun region, 28 temples and 200 Mazars were dismantled due to their unlawful construction on encroached forest land.
According to India Today’s report on January 31, 2024, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi took action in the very month, removing approximately 440 unauthorized structures.
On December 27, 2023, as reported by The Hindustan Times, the Thane Municipal Corporation’s anti-encroachment department conducted operations leading to the demolition of nine unauthorized constructions, encompassing a three-storey structure, across different wards.
In an August 5, 2023 report by India Today, it was revealed that over six years, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi identified 55,000 instances of unauthorized constructions, with half of them subsequently demolished. This information was sourced from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
On August 29, 2022, the widely discussed and extensively publicized live broadcast of the demolition of the Twin Towers remains noteworthy. The illegally constructed twin tower, surpassing even the height of Qutub Minar, faced demolition as per the directives issued by the Allahabad High Court.
On January 4, Only Fact reported that in New Delhi, on Jhansi Road, not just a mosque but also a temple and a police station were demolished due to illegal construction.
There are two primary reasons for demolishing structures – firstly if a property is unlawfully constructed, regardless of its religious affiliation, or if it is built on encroached land acquired through force or deceptive means. Secondly, demolitions may occur for development projects, in which case the government offers substantial compensation for the relocation of religious shrines or other structures.
For instance, in Ayodhya, a mosque claimed to be a century old had a portion built on encroached land and another on the Waqf Board property. As part of the Ram Janmbhumi development project, the Ayodhya administration demolished the illegal section of the mosque. In September 2023, the Ram Janmbhumi Trust reached a significant agreement, paying a hefty sum of 30 lakh rupees to the mosque administration for the complete relocation of the mosque.
Similarly, as reported by Dainik Jagran in February 2018, in Muzzafarnagar, the administration paid 36.23 lakh rupees for the demolition of a mosque and madrasa to facilitate the construction of an overpass for a development project.
In conclusion, regardless of the political party in authority, state governments have systematically dismantled numerous temples and various illegal structures hindering development. Contrary to the narrative propagated on social media that exclusively emphasizes mosque demolitions, the reality is far more comprehensive. As demonstrated in the aforementioned report, we have substantiated that more than a dozen temples and other unauthorized constructed structures underwent demolition within just a couple of years.
| Claim | Only mosques are being demolished. |
| Claimed by | Radical Islamists |
| Fact Check | Misleading |
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