Hindutava BJP’s DEMOLITION DRIVE TO ERASE THE ISLAMIC HERITAGE

Since the BJP came to power in India, there has been a widespread assumption among Hindu nationalists that every Muslim heritage site—from historic mosques to the world-famous Taj Mahal—was built atop a Hindu temple.

The Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, built in the 16th century by the first Mughal Emperor Babur, stood as a historical landmark of Muslim heritage until it was demolished in 1992. However, Right-wing Hindu activists demolished the mosque on the pretext that it was the birthplace of the deity Rama.

The demolition of the Babri Mosque stands as a watershed moment under BJP rule, igniting a wave of state-backed erasure of Muslim heritage and fueling the relentless targeting of Muslim sites, especially mosques, that continues under the current BJP administration.

Now, nearly every other mosque is juxtaposed with claims of a pseudo temple presence beneath, labeled a security threat, or deemed an obstacle to the smooth conduct of Hindu festivals—reflecting a pattern of revisionist erasure of Muslim heritage under state patronage. The series of systematic erasure of Muslim heritage, particularly mosques, is part of BJP’s central fabricated rhetoric that the Mughals destroyed 36,000 Hindu temples and that they would reclaim all those temples one by one.

The intensity of this campaign is evident from the fact that during a 45-day window in mid-2026, more than 23 mosques, madrasas, and shrines were partially or fully demolished across states such as Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Delhi.

In September 2026, at least six mosques were fully or partially demolished across India, including five of historical significance, including a century old, Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Three of these mosques are in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. As the impetus to avenge and reclaim India’s history for Hindus, the law was compromised spurious reforms.

The Constitution of India guarantees religious freedom under Articles 25-28. The Waqf Act of 1995 regulates and safeguards Muslim properties, including mosques, in India, superseding the 1954 Act. The Act prioritizes community autonomy, limits state intervention, and upholds the distinct identity of religious trusts.

However, under the guise of efficiency and reform, the BJP amended the 1995 Waqf Act and enacted the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Act, 2025, containing disingenuous provisions.

Not surprisingly, the act aimed to dilute the distinct religious character of Muslim properties, including mosques. It introduced bizarre clauses such as a five-year practice requirement to prove Muslim status, forced non-Muslim representation, and District Magistrates instead of Specialist Tribunals. These provisions directly contravene Article 26(d), which protects minority property autonomy.

The Waqf Act 2025 was constitutionally challenged in the Supreme Court of India. However, the apex court did not declare the Waqf Act 2025 void ab initio. Instead, the court passed an interim order on the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, which Muslim petitioners deemed “incomplete and unsatisfactory.”  The Muslim petitioners also rightfully predicted that the interim order will be misused by the BJP to “destroy all Waqf properties”….. until the final judgment is delivered.

Currently, the partial demolition of a 600-year-old mosque and the eviction notice served to another 100-year-old mosque near the Indian Prime Minister’s official residence have once again revealed the BJP’s intent to assert India as a land exclusively for Hindus.

The historic Shahi Masjid in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, is a 14th-century structure that reflects medieval Sultanate architecture. Muslims have been praying in the heritage mosque for the past six centuries.

In September 2026, the Ujjain Municipal Corporation issued notices to demolish the Shahi mosque to widen the road ahead of the Hindu Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2028, which occurs every 12 years in Ujjain.

The mosque’s committees challenged the arbitrary action in the Madhya Pradesh High Court, seeking a declaration that the notices were illegal, arbitrary, and unconstitutional. However, under the Hindutva BJP regime, the politicized judicial system did not uphold minority rights and dismissed the committee’s petitions.

Subsequently, in an effort to prevent riots, the mosque’s authorities reluctantly undertook a partial demolition of the mosque. During this operation, a minaret collapsed onto the structure, causing damage to its interior.

A historic mosque located across from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official residence in New Delhi faces imminent demolition as part of a government demolition drive of Muslim heritage. The 100 years -old Race Course Mosque, recognized as a heritage site by the New Delhi Municipal (NDMC) and registered as a Waqf property since 1977.

In early October, the mosque’s electricity and water supplies were reportedly cut off, after which authorities imposed strict restrictions on worshippers’ access.

In mid-October, the Land and Development Office (L&DO) declared the premises “unauthorized,” ordered its eviction within six days, declared the land as government property, and warned against unauthorized occupation.

According to the Hindustan Gazette, Mohammed Harun, the mosque’s imam, said in a video that he has repeatedly raised the issue with the Delhi Waqf Board over the past six months, but to no avail.

The incessant demolition of mosques in India under the despotic BJP’s administration warrants international scrutiny. The unending desecration and destruction of mosques, under the state patronage necessitate global accountability rather than inaction.