Lucknow: A court in Uttar Pradesh has issued a demolition order for a mosque in Bindki tehsil, Fatehpur district, citing alleged encroachments on government land. The decision has sparked controversy amid claims of religious discrimination and protests by local Hindu extremist groups.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the demolition order from the tehsildar’s court in Bindki came after a petition was filed questioning the mosque’s location in Malwan village. The legal challenge is backed by Hindu extremist organizations such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, which have asserted that the mosque was illegally constructed on government property. These groups held a Hindu panchayat in July to advocate for the mosque’s demolition.

Chhedi Ali, an office-bearer of the Sunni Madina Masjid Committee which oversees the mosque, disclosed plans to possibly appeal the court’s decision. He stated that the mosque was built in the 1970s on land provided by the gram sabha, and all appropriate fees were paid at that time. Ali further noted that the mosque, which was last year officially registered with the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board, has served the local community and neighboring villages without any new constructions since its establishment.

The mosque committee had received a prior notice from the court and submitted a comprehensive response defending their legal rights to the property. They are currently preparing to file an appeal against the court’s decision, viewing it as indicative of a wider pattern of discrimination against Muslim facilities in the region.