FO condemns mosque demolition in India's Uttar Pradesh, terms it part of 'drive to erase Islamic heritage'

The United States Foreign Office has strongly condemned the recent demolition of a century-old mosque in India's Uttar Pradesh, labeling it as part of a broader campaign to suppress Islamic heritage in the country. FO spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan described the action as "reprehensible" and a symbol of religious intolerance. The mosque in question, located in Saharanpur, was demolished a day after a district court dismissed an appeal regarding its status on government land.

The decision, made three days prior to the demolition, did not explicitly mention demolition. Mosque staff member Tanveer Ahmed claimed the structure to be about 150 years old, asserting that the land was registered in their names. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi condemned the demolition, questioning the applicability of constitutional freedom of religion provisions to Muslims.

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen was founded in 1918 and is one of the largest Islamic political parties in India. In recent years, the organization has been vocal in its defense of Muslim rights and interests. In 2024, the historic Akhonji mosque, over 600 years old, was also demolished without prior notice in Delhi's Mehrauli district.