Hindutva brigands under the right-wing government of Narendra Modi are on a mission to demolish Muslim religious structures. In just 45 days, no less than 23 mosques, madrassahs, eidgahs and more have been demolished, all in the states currently being ruled by the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), mainly in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Haryana.

The mosques martyred included the 200-year-old Ajgaib Shaheed Mosque in Varanasi, while another 1,000-year-old historic Masjid Ganj Shaheeda in the same city faced demolition. The mosque has significant historical and religious value.

The demolitions show a specific pattern of selectively targeting Muslim religious sites and a feeble argument that they were erected illegally. Yet, no legal procedures were followed in any of the cases cited above, nor was any prior notice served before the demolition drives were carried out.

While action was taken against Muslim religious structures, nearby Hindu religious structures allegedly built without authorization were left untouched.

The growing number of demolitions has sparked debate over equal treatment under the law, the protection of religious heritage and the need for authorities to ensure transparency and due process in all such actions, regardless of the community involved.

‘Justice For All’ urges protection of religious freedom

The recent wave of demolitions has also drawn international attention. On June 17 this year, the U.S.-based advocacy group Justice For All expressed alarm over what it described as an acceleration in mosque demolitions in India, citing recent actions in Sambhal, Varanasi and Jaipur.

In a statement, the organization said that three mosques had been demolished within a span of five days. It argued that the trend raises concerns about religious freedom and equal treatment under the law. The group specifically referred to the demolition of Masjid Mustafa Qadri in Sambhal, the Shaheed Azgaib Mosque in Varanasi, and the Noorani Mosque in Jaipur.

Justice For All alleged that authorities apply different standards when dealing with religious structures and urged India’s intellectuals and civil society to collectively oppose what it termed “hate politics.” The organization argued that the country’s constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion must be upheld and warned that the growing number of demolitions could deepen insecurity among minority communities.

The statement comes amid a broader debate in India over anti-encroachment drives and the demolition of religious structures.

While authorities have consistently maintained that such actions are carried out according to legal and administrative procedures, critics argue that transparency, due process and equal application of the law remain essential to maintaining public confidence and protecting constitutional rights.