Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan on Saturday claimed that police placed her under house arrest at her residence in Kairana after a mosque inside the Saharanpur District Magistrate’s office complex was demolished.
Hasan said she was planning to travel to Saharanpur to meet government officials and raise concerns over the demolition when a large police force reached her home.
“To prevent me from going to Saharanpur last night, a large police force was deployed at my Kairana residence and I was placed under house arrest,” Hasan said.
The Kairana MP questioned the decision to stop her from meeting officials on an issue concerning people in her constituency. She said elected representatives have a responsibility to raise public concerns and that their voices should not be restricted.
“In a democracy, public representatives are elected to raise the voice of the people. That voice cannot be suppressed by stopping me,” she said.
Why Was the Mosque Demolished?
The mosque was demolished following an order by Saharanpur City Magistrate Kuldeep Singh, who declared the structure illegal and said it amounted to encroachment on government land.
Authorities also imposed a penalty of around Rs 6.41 crore on the occupants, according to the order.
The action followed a complaint by Vikas Tyagi, a former provincial coordinator of the Bajrang Dal. The complaint alleged that the mosque had been constructed illegally inside the District Magistrate’s office complex.
It also raised allegations that parts of the premises were being used for commercial activities, including a post office and rooms rented to outsiders. The mosque committee was accused of collecting rent from these spaces.
The administration said the encroachment and activities at the location raised concerns about the security and confidentiality of the government office.
Akhilesh Yadav Reacts
The demolition and Hasan’s claim of being stopped from travelling to Saharanpur also drew a reaction from Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
Without directly referring to the incident in detail, Yadav said maintaining communal harmony is one of the government’s most important responsibilities.
“Maintaining harmony is the government’s greatest responsibility and also its achievement,” he said.
The Samajwadi Party accused the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government of preventing Hasan from reaching Saharanpur so that she could not raise the issue with officials.
Mayawati Questions Demolition Drive
BSP chief Mayawati also criticised the demolition of religious structures that authorities have declared illegal.
She described the demolition of mosques and other religious places as a matter of concern and urged the Uttar Pradesh government to stop what she called hasty action.
Mayawati said disputes involving religious structures should be handled through lawful alternatives and stressed that a constitutional and secular government must ensure equal protection for people of all faiths and their places of worship.
She also raised concerns about the demolition of homes belonging to people accused of crimes, arguing that families should not face collective punishment without following due legal procedure.
The Saharanpur demolition comes amid wider drives in Uttar Pradesh against religious structures that authorities say were illegally constructed or built on government land. Such demolition actions have also faced legal scrutiny over whether mandatory safeguards and due process were followed.
