Varanasi: Tension has gripped the Dal Mandi area after the Municipal Corporation served tax notices to six mosques, warning of confiscation if dues worth nearly ₹1.78 crore are not paid within 15 days. The notices are part of a wider action covering 151 buildings in the locality, including residential and commercial properties.
Local residents expressed concern that the move targets Muslim religious sites during an already sensitive period. “We are suffering from road widening and demolitions. Now these notices make us feel cornered,” said a shopkeeper. Many community members linked the action to the ongoing Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor expansion, which has already displaced several families.
Municipal Corporation Public Relations Officer Sandeep Srivastava said the notices were routine and applied to all tax defaulters. “This is not against any religion. Everyone has 15 days to pay their dues. If not, the confiscation process will begin,” he said.
However, locals remain unconvinced. “These mosques have existed for generations,” said a resident. “Issuing notices now feels like an attack on our right to worship.” Traders also said they received little notice or time to respond.
The development follows criticism of recent demolitions and sealing of mosques and madrasas in Uttar Pradesh. Muslim community leaders have urged the state government to handle the issue sensitively and prevent communal unrest. As the deadline approaches, residents are calling for a review, fearing further strain on one of Varanasi’s oldest Muslim neighbourhoods.
