Siddharthnagar, Uttar Pradesh : A 150-year-old dargah of revered Sufi saint Fagu Shah Baba in Domariyaganj town of Siddharthnagar district was razed to the ground on Tuesday, sparking widespread anger and accusations of religious targeting. The demolition came after a complaint from former BJP MLA Raghvendra Pratap Singh, who alleged the shrine was illegally constructed on government grazing land and was being “misused.”, reported the Clarion India.
The demolition was executed under heavy police deployment, led by ADM Gaurav Srivastava and ASP Prashant Kumar. Authorities sealed off the area, restricting media access and public entry while placing the town under high alert.
For generations, the dargah had stood as a symbol of syncretic culture and interfaith harmony, frequented by both Hindus and Muslims alike. Local residents saw it not merely as a religious site but as part of their shared cultural heritage.
However, BJP leader Singh dismissed its spiritual legacy, claiming the dargah was “deceiving people into making vows and collecting lakhs every Thursday.” He went further to accuse the site of hosting “immoral activities” and claimed women were being misled and kept overnight.
Lauding the state’s action, Singh remarked, “Such decisive steps are only possible under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.”
Opposition parties have strongly denounced the move. Samajwadi Party MLA and former Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey called it “an attack on communal harmony,” saying, “The shrine of Fagu Baba stood for centuries as a beacon of Hindu-Muslim unity. This act is part of the BJP’s agenda to incite hatred and divide communities. We will take this matter to the assembly and the Supreme Court.”
Imran Latif, Aam Aadmi Party’s president for UP’s Buddhist Region, labeled the demolition “a calculated and communal move.” He added, “The BJP government is systematically targeting Muslims and erasing the symbols of shared cultural identity. We will fight this legally and demand the restoration of the dargah.”
This incident is part of a growing pattern under the Yogi government, which has previously ordered demolitions of other religious structures such as madrasas, mosques, and mazhars, citing illegal encroachment. Critics argue these actions are selectively enforced and disproportionately affect the Muslim community.
Observers warn that these demolitions are eroding centuries-old bonds of trust and respect between communities and endangering the spirit of unity in diversity that defines India’s social fabric.
