Recently, a video of the demolition of the mosque named ‘Mamu Bhanje Dargah’ located on Rani Jhansi Road, Delhi with a bulldozer has been widely circulated by Islamists. Videos and news related to the demolition of Mamu Bhanje mosque are being shared with the claim that Muslim tombs and mosques are being targeted across the country.
Sharing visuals of demolition, Islamist user Harun Khan (archived link) on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “In Delhi bulldozer ran on “Mamu Bhanje Dargah” located on Rani Jhansi Road. Muslim Tomb & Mosques are on target across the country including Delhi/UP.”
In Delhi bulldozer ran on "Mamu Bhanje Dargah" located on Rani Jhansi Road.
— هارون خان (@iamharunkhan) January 3, 2024
Muslim Tomb & Mosques are on target across the country including Delhi/UP. pic.twitter.com/LQhXRjIa9R
Pakistan Based Handle Crime Reports India (archived link), also shared the visuals of the mosque demolition with the same caption.
In Delhi bulldozer ran on "Mamu Bhanje Islamic Dargah" located on Rani Jhansi Road.
— Crime Reports India (@AsianDigest) January 3, 2024
Muslim Tomb & Mosques are on target across the country including Delhi/UP.#Islamophobia
pic.twitter.com/5iogVJSXW1
Furthermore, the same claim was also supported by several Islamist handles on X. Propagandist and fake news peddler Ali Sohrab (archived link) wrote, “Constitutional bulldozer was run on “Mamu Bhanje Dargah” in Delhi by constitutional government. Muslim pilgrimage sites (mazars) and Muslim places of worship (mosques) across the country including the capital Delhi are constitutional target!”
दिल्ली स्थित "मामू भांजे दरगाह" पर संवैधानिक सरकार द्वारा चलाया गया संवैधानिक बुलडोजर.
— Ali Sohrab (@007AliSohrab) January 3, 2024
राजधानी दिल्ली समेत देशभर में मुस्लिम तृथस्थल (मजार) और मुसोमनों के इबादतगाह (मस्जिदें) संवैधानिक निशाने पर हैं!pic.twitter.com/WBiXYqjtyf
Indian American Muslim Council (archived link) wrote, “Bulldozer runs on Mamu-Bhanje Dargah located on Rani Jhansi Road, Delhi, video goes viral…”
दिल्ली के रानी झाँसी रोड स्थित मामू-भांजे दरगाह पर चला बुलडोज़र, वीडियो वायरल…
— Indian American Muslim Council (हिंदी) (@IAMCHindi) January 3, 2024
Video @farzeeiqbal pic.twitter.com/L65WffNTbB
The Muslim (archived link) known for spreading misinformation wrote, “Government bulldozer runs on Mamu-Bhanje Dargah. Earlier in Uttarakhand, the process of demolishing the Dargah and normalizing it was done by a Hindu organisation, now such work will be done in every part of the country.”
लोकेशन: दिल्ली
— The Muslim (@TheMuslim786) January 3, 2024
मामू-भांजे दरगाह पर चला सरकारी बुलडोज़र।
पहले उत्तराखंड में दरगाह को तोड़कर हिंदू संगठन द्वारा सामान्य करने की प्रक्रिया की गई अब देश के हर हिस्से में ऐसे काम किए जायेगे। pic.twitter.com/BlKYH7H6Wn
“The old Mamu Bhanje Dargah of Rani Jhansi Road was destroyed by bulldozing today” wrote Firdaus Fiza (archived link).
दिल्ली ,
— Firdaus Fiza (@fizaiq) January 3, 2024
रानी झांसी रोड के पुराने मामू भांजे दरगाह को आज बुलडोजर चला कर ख़त्म कर दिया …!!
💔😔 pic.twitter.com/i3jRyRghIU
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Fact Check
At the beginning of our research, we searched keywords in Hindi and English on Google to check the authenticity of the news. We found that in August 2023, the Public Works Department (PWD) demolished the outer wall of the Mamu-Bhanje mazar and the gate of the Shri Pipleshwar Balaji Mandir as part of a road-widening project on Rani Jhansi Road in Delhi.
Furthermore, according to the The India Express report recently as a part of the ongoing drive against encroachment, the PWD in Rani Jhansi Road has again demolished two religious structures – a temple and a mazar (shrine) located on Rani Jhansi Road. Both the structures were creating hindrance in pedestrian movement.
Apart from this, a report of TV9 Bharatvarsh also stated that MCD officials and employees are working to remove encroachments from near the temple and mosque. MCD is taking action against illegal encroachment in Delhi.
In addition, we also ran a relevant keyword search on YouTube. We found a video on India Today’s YouTube channel. The description of the video reads, ‘MCD action continues in Delhi, illegal construction of temple and tomb in Paharganj area was demolished.’
Furthermore, to be more sure, the Only Fact team reached the demolition site to investigate and found that the news reports stating that the structures of both temple and mosque were demolished turned out to be true. The team came to know that the temple that was demolished this time was the Jhandewalan temple. The gate of the temple was removed.
Moreover, the tweet by LG Delhi also confirms that the gate of Jhandewalan temple was brought down in the demolition drive.
The ancient Jhandewalan Mandir on Rani Jhansi Marg has voluntarily brought down its gate beside the foot over bridge, on my request. This exemplary exercise will ensure safer pedestrian movement & reduce traffic jams on this important arterial connecting North & South Delhi. pic.twitter.com/vZqeMIrb4C
— LG Delhi (@LtGovDelhi) January 5, 2024
In August, the structures of both the Pipleshwar temple and the mosque were removed. Similarly, the front structure of the Jhandewalan temple as well as the front structure of the Mamu Bhanje mosque were removed during the recent demolition drive.
Besides this, a police station which was located at some distance from the mosque and the temple was also removed in the demolition operation. Therefore, the one-sided story narrative claiming that only the mosque was targeted is completely false and misleading.
Conclusion: The claim that the mosque was demolished with bulldozers in the demolition drive in Rani Jhansi Road is misleading. Authorities removed both the mosque and the temple structures.
| Claim | Mamu Bhanje mosque was demolished in Rani Jhansi Road |
| Claimed by | Harun Khan, Crime Reports India, Ali Sohrab, IMAC and other Islamist handles |
| Fact Check | Misleading |
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