– Akhilesh Tripathi
In Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur district, the historic Noori Jama Masjid has been demolished under the pretext of road widening, even though the matter was under judicial consideration in Allahabad High Court, with a hearing scheduled for December 13.
The mosque, located in Lalouli town, was constructed in 1839, making it nearly 185 years old. A relic of cultural and religious significance, the mosque was built when Lalouli was largely covered in forests. Presently, the Kanpur-Banda State Highway runs through the town, and plans to widen this road have led to the demolition of the mosque and several other old structures.
Authorities labelled the mosque and 134 other structures as illegal encroachments. On August 17, a notice was issued to residents, asking them to vacate their properties to facilitate the widening project. While some complied, others sought legal recourse. The Noori Jama Masjid Committee and its caretaker consulted advocate Azimuddin, who filed a petition in Allahabad HC, seeking protection for the mosque.
The petition emphasised the mosque’s historical and cultural value, warning that its demolition would result in an irreparable loss to the nation’s heritage. It also pointed out that the mosque is listed among the heritage monuments of Archaeological Survey of India.
The PWD, tasked with the road-widening project, could have opted to reroute the highway to bypass the town – a solution that faced no local opposition. However, this alternative was ignored. Critics argue that the decision to demolish the mosque reflects the anti-Muslim agenda of BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government.
The High Court had initially scheduled the case for December 6, but the hearing was postponed to December 13. Despite this, on December 10, the Fatehpur administration, accompanied by police and bulldozers, arrived unannounced in Lalouli at 8 a.m. The area around the mosque was cordoned off, local shops were shut, and a significant police and RAF presence was deployed.
Over the course of eight hours, a 22-foot section of the mosque’s key structure was demolished. The administration defended its actions by declaring the structure illegal.
The district administration’s decision to proceed with the demolition ahead of the scheduled court hearing raises serious questions. Was the administration acting under pressure from the state government? The haste and timing suggest a deliberate move to sidestep judicial scrutiny.
These actions have sparked allegations that the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh harbours an anti-Muslim bias. The demolition of the Noori Jama Masjid not only challenges the sanctity of cultural heritage but also exposes the administration’s priorities.
If the mosque stood for centuries, how did it suddenly become illegal? Neither the district administration nor the state government has provided satisfactory answers. Critics argue that the government is fixated on targeting Muslim religious sites, stirring disputes, and diverting attention from pressing issues like employment and governance. This pattern, they claim, is part of a broader strategy to deflect public focus from critical socio-economic demands.
