NEW DELHI: India’s ongoing demolition drives involving Muslim religious and community properties have drawn renewed attention following the reported demolition of the Madina Mosque in Shalimar Bagh, Delhi.
According to reports cited by Turkish broadcaster TRT, the mosque was demolished during the night. Local residents raised concerns over the timing of the operation and alleged that people were present inside the mosque when the demolition took place. These allegations could not be independently verified from the available sources.
Separately, an investigation published by Muslim Network TV, based on a compilation by Millat Times, recorded at least 2,166 reported instances, structures or aggregate figures involving mosques, madrasas, shrines and other Muslim religious or community properties between 2020 and 2026.
The compilation cautions that the figure should not be treated as 2,166 individually verified demolitions because it includes government-reported totals, individual cases, partial demolitions and other administrative actions that may overlap.
Authorities in various Indian states have generally cited alleged encroachment, unauthorised construction, occupation of government or forest land, road widening and infrastructure projects as grounds for such actions. In several cases, affected religious organisations and residents have challenged demolitions or eviction actions in court.
The reported cases have been documented across states including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Delhi, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Assam.
The issue has also attracted criticism from international rights organisations. Amnesty International reported in 2024 that Muslim homes, businesses and places of worship had been subjected to what it described as punitive demolitions in several Indian states, and raised concerns over discriminatory enforcement.
The demolition campaign has also been examined in the context of the 2020 Delhi riots. Human Rights Watch reported that mosques and other Muslim properties were among those damaged or burned during the communal violence, in which at least 53 people were killed, most of them Muslims.
The latest developments have renewed debate over whether demolition and eviction measures are being applied consistently and in accordance with legal safeguards, particularly when Muslim religious properties are involved.