Tensions escalated in Ujjain, a city in Madhya Pradesh state, after municipal authorities moved to partially demolish the Shahi Mosque to expand a roadway ahead of a major Hindu pilgrimage event scheduled for 2028. The Simhastha Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years on the banks of the Kshipra River, prompted officials to claim additional space was needed for traffic management during the religious gathering.
Muslim residents of the city received notice approximately two months prior to the demolition action, with a September 10 deadline to voluntarily remove the structure. When community members filed a petition in the local High Court seeking to halt the demolition, the court upheld the government’s position, stating that public interest and infrastructure needs for the pilgrimage took precedence. Negotiations between mosque management and district authorities resulted in a compromise where only three feet of the structure, rather than the initially demanded seven feet, would be removed.
On Sunday night, as authorities brought bulldozers to the site, thousands of residents gathered at the mosque location in the Chhatri Chowk area. Police deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd on Monday morning, and reports indicated that demonstrators threw stones while police responded with baton charges, resulting in at least a dozen injuries and several arrests. Under pressure, the mosque committee agreed to remove portions of the structure themselves, with workers dismantling the platform using hand tools. Authorities subsequently removed part of the minaret on Tuesday.
The demolition has drawn criticism from Muslim advocacy groups and political figures, who characterize it as part of a broader pattern targeting Islamic religious sites in BJP-governed states. A protest was organized in the national capital on Tuesday by the Monitoring Committee of Indian Muslims, featuring Muslim parliamentarians and religious leaders. Critics argue that the demolitions raise concerns about constitutional protections and the rule of law, particularly given reports that similar actions against Muslim institutions have occurred across multiple states in recent years.
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