Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has criticised the demolition of a mosque inside the Saharanpur District Magistrate’s office complex, accusing the Uttar Pradesh government of giving the matter a communal dimension and questioning the circumstances in which the structure was removed.
Speaking about the controversy, Yadav said that respect for other faiths was fundamental to Sanatan Dharma. “Those who demolish can never be Sanatani who don’t respect other religions. They can never be Sanatani who play with others’ faith. They can never be Sanatani, and a true Hindu can never disrespect another,” he said, according to ANI.
The SP leader also invoked the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, arguing that the principle teaches people to view society and the world as one family. “We have learned this in Sanatan Dharma, and the definition of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam tells us that our whole society, the whole earth, is a family. So, if it is Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, and that is our Sanatan’s education, then no true Sanatani, true Hindu will play with the faith of another religion,” he added.
Yadav further called on the government to make communal harmony a central priority and accused the BJP-led administration of deliberately turning the mosque demolition into a religious controversy. He also criticised what he described as political attempts to shape public opinion around the issue.
Addressing journalists, Yadav said, “I will tell my journalist friends that you get a lot of money for political polishing. Don’t care about that money. The political money you get for polishing, don’t worry about it. I know how much budget you get. It is not hidden from anyone. Don’t twist any matter, but a true Sanatani is a person who likes harmony.” He added, “Harmony is the biggest responsibility of the government, and priority should also be harmony.”
The SP chief also questioned why the mosque had been demolished while legal avenues for further challenge remained available. He linked the controversy to allegations surrounding donations collected for the construction of the Ram temple.
“Can anyone tell me why all this is happening? This is happening because they were caught stealing in the wealth of Lord Shri Ram. These people were caught in Ram wealth theft. They have been caught in the theft of the offerings made by our poor, faithful people,” Yadav alleged.
He further questioned whether the matter could not have been pursued before higher courts, asking, “Couldn’t justice be achieved in the High Court? Couldn’t they go to the Supreme Court for appeal?” Yadav also alleged that officials acted under government pressure, saying, “Those officers, together at the behest of the government, did this work so that they don’t get justice in the next court. Think, you are snatching someone’s right to justice.”
The remarks came shortly after the mosque at the Saharanpur Collectorate was demolished early Saturday following a court decision supporting its removal.
The District Judge’s court on September 4 rejected an appeal filed by the mosque committee and upheld an earlier order issued by the City Magistrate. The City Magistrate had ordered the demolition on July 17 and imposed compensation of around ₹6.41 crore over allegations concerning encroachment and the alleged misuse of government land.
Saharanpur DIG Abhishek Singh said the demolition was being conducted in compliance with the court’s order and established legal procedures. Authorities also increased security in sensitive areas, deploying additional personnel from the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and Rapid Action Force (RAF).
Officials were also monitoring social media platforms to prevent rumours and maintain law and order following the demolition.
