Law or Islamophobia? Demolition of madrasa in India fuels calls for legal review

The demolition of much of a decades-old Islamic school in northern India has triggered protests and accusations of anti-Muslim discrimination, with opposition leaders condemning the action and questioning whether authorities followed proper procedures.

Bulldozers demolished seven classrooms, a shop and part of the main hall of Arabia Zia-ul-Uloom Madrasa in Uttar Pradesh's Siddharthnagar district on August 18 after authorities said the school had expanded onto government land, according to Muslim Network TV.

The madrasa, which local residents say has operated at its current location since 1967, taught about 400 children, according to officials. More than half of its roughly 14,000-square-foot premises was demolished within about two hours.

Authorities said the action followed a yearslong legal dispute. Five villagers approached a local revenue court in 2022 seeking removal of the alleged encroachment, and the court ordered eviction the following year.

Madrasa caretaker Abdul Salam challenged the decision before the district magistrate's court. The appeal remained pending for nearly three years before being dismissed on Aug. 14, upholding the earlier eviction order.

Officials said the madrasa was then given notice to remove the disputed structures itself, but demolition began after it failed to do so within the prescribed period.

The administration said the madrasa was originally built on privately owned land but was later expanded onto adjacent government property.

The demolition nevertheless prompted an immediate political backlash, with opposition politicians questioning the use of bulldozers against a Muslim educational institution and calling for scrutiny of the authorities' actions.

Saiyeda Khatoon, a state lawmaker from the opposition Samajwadi Party, visited the site with party leaders and workers and demanded that authorities stop the demolition. Police deployed about 100 personnel from five stations and erected barricades around the madrasa.

A brief scuffle broke out between police and protesters after officers prevented some opposition workers from approaching the site. Khatoon later urged supporters to remain calm and pursue the dispute peacefully.

The Uttar Pradesh unit of the opposition Aam Aadmi Party called the demolition "unconstitutional" and questioned when notice had been served and whether the madrasa authorities had been given enough time to respond.

Congress leader Javed Ashraf Khan described the demolition as an "open hate agenda against Muslims" and called for intervention by India's Supreme Court. He also accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, or RSS, of pursuing politics centred on destruction.

Uttar Pradesh is governed by Yogi Adityanath, a Hindu monk and senior BJP politician whose administration has repeatedly used bulldozers against properties linked to people accused of crimes or violations.

The practice has become politically contentious in India, particularly because Muslims have frequently been affected by such demolitions, prompting allegations that municipal and land laws are being selectively applied.

By Aghakazim Guliyev