The Deoband administration in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, took action on December 5 by demolishing constructions on a 1.25-acre pond area following complaints from local residents. Authorities alleged that the land on Maqbarah Road had been encroached upon through illegal means, with plans to develop a new colony on the site.
As per local reports, SDM Deepak Kumar said that they first investigated and then razed the structures to release the supposedly encroached land. He also said that the administration would punish the purported accountable culprits. In November, the officials destroyed around 24 establishments around Muslim-owned shops in the district.
Due to its religious status of being an epicentre of Islamic education and renaissance, the far-right wing forces and Hindutva politics have been targeting Deoband’s legacy for long. Recently, the Jan Jagriti Sena members organized a protest regarding the Bangladesh crisis where communal anti-Muslim slogans were chanted by the mob.
From Hate Speeches To Actions Against Muslims
In February 2024, Hindutava monk Yati Narsinghanandopenly called out CM Yogi to demolish Darul Uloom Deoband, the leading Islamic institution of the district Saharanpur which initiated the Deobandi movement in India and evolved the contemporary teachings of Islam.
During this provocative speech, Yati Narsinghanand said that bulldozer action is not enough for the seminary but it rather requires “military tank action” to stop its religious activities. Yati falsely connected the organisation with manufactured conspiracy theories of Ghazwa-e-Hind to pollute its reputation and credibility. He also addressed students and scholars as terrorists and said that Muslims are “petty people” and devastating their properties would not cause any damage.
Three years ago, the Deoband administration abolished different settlements on around 5 acres in Chand colony, citing the role of alleged mafias (Muslims). In 2022, more than 400 properties were marked for demolition drive within the city by the Yogi government and were listed as cases of unlawful encroachment.
Despite clear directives of the court, the widespread culture of bulldozer justice and communal hate speeches is being normalized in the state. Amid this hate wave, the Deoband Seminary has deceptively been defamed as a centre of terrorism and anti-India activities.
