NEW DELHI – Local authorities in southern Indian city of Hyderabad have bulldozed a mosque, in another action taken against a Muslim place of worship amid rising Islamophobia.
The demolition of the Masjid-e-Khaja located in Shamshabad, the outskirts of Hyderabad city, triggered protests.
Reports in Indian media said the Mosque was demolished in the wee hours after hundreds of policemen surrounded the area and restricted the residents to prevent any protest.
The incident however triggered another controversy as Hindutva-inspired leadership poses an existential threat to the world’s largest democracy.
Hundreds of protesters, led by the local Muslim organization, flocked outside the government office. Meanwhile, India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Majlis Bachao Tehreek leaders also lodged their protests.
It was reported that the mosque was constructed around three years ago and five times prayers including Friday were being performed.
Earlier, a local resident, whose house is beside the mosque, approached municipal authorities against the construction of the mosque after which the mosque was razed despite that the case was in court.
Furthermore, Modi-led administration imposed Section 144 around the Masjid-e-Khaja and detained a number of people.
The South Asian nation is known for disputes over religious structures, mainly under Modi regime.
A campaign by Hindu right-wing groups to claim Mughal-era monuments and historic mosques raised a wave of concern among Muslims and other minorities.
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