‘Illegal’ mazar demolished in Haridwar, Uttarakhand

A mazar in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar was demolished on Saturday by district authorities who claimed it was built illegally, reported Times of India.

Officials said the mazar in Mirpur village was built 15-20 years ago and a demolition notice was served in March.

“When a notice was served, they (Mazar management) promised to remove the structure themselves,” said district magistrate Karmendra Singh. “But when they didn’t follow through, the structure had to be demolished.”

A mazar, colloquially known as a dargah, refers to a shrine built over the grave of a revered Muslim religious figure, after whom it is usually named.

Between May and August 2023, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s Bharatiya Janata Party government demolished 465 mazars, 45 temples and two gurdwara encroachments in Uttarakhand, according to Printing.

According to Rao Zubair, the former head of Mirpur Gram panchayat, Saturday’s demolition took place in response to complaints from some residents.

The district magistrate ordered an investigation based on the complaints and reportedly concluded that the structure was on government land leased for agricultural purposes by the irrigation department.

Parchment reports have shown that the state government appears to have selectively targeted Muslim places of worship under the pretext of removing encroachments on government land and public spaces.

On February 8, the administration demolished a mosque and madrasa at Banbhoolpura in Haldwani town in Nainital district, claiming they were built illegally on government land – even as the the matter was ongoing before the Uttarakhand High Court.

Six people were killed in the ensuing outbreak of violence, and police repressed against Muslim residents, arresting several men and barricading the neighborhoods in which they lived.

Also read: How Uttarakhand selectively targets Muslim shrines