Watch: Historical mosque demolished in India to 'widen road'

Nearly 500 mosques, shrines in Gujarat demolished to date, according to a report

A historical mosque located in India’s northern state of Uttar Pradesh was reportedly demolished on Sunday in order to "widen the road".

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s former chair of International Water Cooperation Ashok Swain shared a video of the mosque being bulldozed on his official Twitter handle.

A historical mosque is being bulldozed in UP, India, to widen the road! pic.twitter.com/IsUWunoIJy

— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) January 15, 2023

Journalist and activist against Islamophobia CJ Werleman also shared the video, saying that the mosque has been demolished by the Hindutva regime under the pretext of widening the road.

Historical mosque is demolished by the Hindutva regime in Uttar Pradesh, under the pretext of “road widening.” #India pic.twitter.com/dCXcnVCbst

— CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) January 15, 2023

Non-partisan, journalists-run platform Saffron Diaries noted that according to the 42nd Amendment of India's constitution, "India is a secular nation". However, the state bulldozed a historical mosque.

With the 42nd Amendment of the Constitution of India enacted in 1976, the Preamble to the Constitution asserted that #India is a secular nation. But, just to widen up the road A historical mosque in UP was being bulldozed in #UP, #India. pic.twitter.com/uVVH0Kf78k

— Saffron Diaries (@SaffronDiaries) January 16, 2023

According to Muslim Spaces, the mosque destroyed was Shahi Masjid in Handia, Allahabad and was constructed during the time of Sher Shah Suri.

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It was demolished in the presence of the Public Works Department to widen GT Road while the matter was reportedly listed for January 16th in the lower court.

Shahi Masjid martyred in Handia, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh!! Construction was done during time of Sher Shah Suri, demolition was done in presence of Public Works Department for widening of GT Road!

Imam Md Babul Hussain said the matter in lower court was listed for January 16th!! pic.twitter.com/yGt99eaZ4b

— Muslim Spaces (@MuslimSpaces) January 14, 2023

Last month marked 30 years since the 16th-century Babri Mosque in the northern Indian city of Ayodhya was torn down by Hindu hardliners, who claimed the site was the birthplace of their lord Ram.

Pakistan has condemned the ongoing construction of a Hindu temple on the site and called on New Delhi to ensure that the historic mosque was rebuilt on its original site and the criminals responsible for its destruction were awarded befitting punishment.

Recently, a court in Uttar Pradesh ordered the survey of the 17th century Shahi Idgah Mosque in Mathura, 57 kilometres north of Agra city, after a right-wing Hindu group claimed that the mosque was built on the birthplace of Lord Krishna.

The local court in Mathura asked the Archaeological Survey of India to conduct a survey after January 2. The report will be submitted after January 20.

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An anti-Muslim narrative is spreading in India due to a dedicated effort by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

This is evidenced by the demolition of nearly 500 mosques and shrines in the Indian state of Gujarat with impunity, according to a report of the People's Union for Human Rights.

Further evidence of the anti-Muslim drive is the disappearance of 650 mosques of various sizes in Amritsar, as per numbers obtained from Surinder Khochar, an Indian researcher who researches religious places in India and Pakistan.

This anti-Muslim narrative has also led to thousands of Muslims in the Indian state of Uttarakhand facing the threat of eviction from their homes.

Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, has repeatedly claimed in public rallies that Muslims in India have committed “land jihad” by occupying spaces meant for Hindus and that the BJP will enact laws to put an end to this land jihad.