SP MP claims house arrest after mosque razed. Then Akhilesh Yadav's cryptic post

Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan on Saturday claimed she was placed under house arrest at her Kairana residence after a mosque inside the Saharanpur District Magistrate’s office complex was demolished in an overnight operation. The demolition followed a City Magistrate’s order declaring the structure illegal and an encroachment on government land, and imposing a fine of around Rs 6.41 crore on its occupants.

Hasan, who represents the Kairana Lok Sabha constituency, said a large police force arrived at her residence as she was preparing to leave for Saharanpur to meet officials over the demolition and raise the concerns of people in the area. Notably, Saharanpur district falls under the Kairana constituency.

“To prevent me from going to Saharanpur last night, a large police force was deployed at my Kairana residence and I was placed under house arrest,” Hasan said.

The 32-year-old MP questioned whether it had become a crime for an elected representative to meet officials over issues concerning people in her constituency. “In a democracy, public representatives are elected to raise the voice of the people. That voice cannot be suppressed by stopping me,” she said.

AKHILESH YADAV REACTS

The mosque demolition and Hasan's house arrest drew a cryptic response from SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, who said, “Maintaining harmony is the government's greatest responsibility and also its achievement.”

The Samajwadi Party accused the BJP government of stopping Hasan from travelling to Saharanpur to prevent her from raising the mosque demolition issue.

WHY WAS THE MOSQUE DEMOLISHED?

The mosque demolition followed a complaint by Vikas Tyagi, a former provincial coordinator of the Bajrang Dal, who alleged that the mosque had been illegally constructed inside the DM office complex in Saharanpur.

The complaint also alleged that the premises were being used for commercial purposes, including a post office and rooms rented to outsiders, with the mosque committee collecting rent.

After a hearing, City Magistrate Kuldeep Singh ordered the immediate demolition of the structure. The administration said the action was necessary as the encroachment and activities at the site compromised the security and confidentiality of the government office.

MAYAWATI LASHES OUT AT BJP

After Akhilesh Yadav, BSP chief Mayawati criticised what she described as the Uttar Pradesh government's “hasty” demolition of mosques and other religious sites declared illegal, including the one in Saharanpur.

In a long post on X, she called such actions wrong and demanded that the demolitions be stopped immediately, saying alternative ways should be explored to resolve such disputes and avoid negative consequences.

Mayawati said a constitutional and secular government has a responsibility to ensure equal respect and protection for people of all religions and their places of worship.

She further expressed concern over the demolition of houses of accused persons without following due process, saying collective punishment and the eviction of entire families in the name of action against an accused was disturbing people.

Mayawati stressed the need to establish the “rule of law by law” and appealed to the government and courts to examine such cases carefully. She also urged all sides to maintain a cordial atmosphere.

The demolition in Saharanpur is part of a wider series of actions in Uttar Pradesh against religious structures that authorities have described as illegal or built on encroached land. Such drives have also faced legal challenges, including over compliance with court-mandated safeguards before demolitions.