Residents from both Hindu and Muslim communities have joined protests against the demolition of several mosques near the India-Pakistan border in Rajasthan, with locals alleging that the action was carried out without giving them adequate time to respond, PTI reported.
According to a petition filed before the Rajasthan High Court, around 12 mosques were demolished between June 18 and 20 in villages located within 15 kilometres of the international border in Barmer and Bikaner districts.
The demolitions were carried out as part of an anti-encroachment drive after the Union Home Ministry directed authorities on May 27 to take strict action against illegal structures within 15 kilometres of the international border. Officials said the structures had been built on gochar (pastoral) land.
However, residents claimed they received notices only shortly before the demolitions.
“They should have at least given us a warning. We would have complied or even paid a penalty,” Abdul Sindhi, a resident of Siyai village, told PTI.
In Barmer’s Kerkori village, local cleric Hishamuddin Sindhi said the demolished mosque had served the area for many years.
“We built it with great difficulty. This was the only mosque within a 10-km radius. Now it’s gone. Where will people go to pray?” he told PTI.
The demolitions have sparked protests in parts of Barmer, where members of both communities participated in marches under the banner of Sarv Dharm Shanti Sabha and submitted memorandums to the district administration.
“We stood with our Muslim brothers. When they stopped cooking in protest, people from our community provided them food,” local resident Harla Ram Meghwal told PTI.
Paradiya village sarpanch Sorta Ram Meghwal also questioned the manner in which the drive was carried out.
“If the government wants to remove encroachments, it should act against all such structures. Action should not appear selective,” he told PTI.
The petitioners have challenged the demolitions before the Rajasthan High Court, alleging that the authorities violated principles of natural justice by failing to provide sufficient notice before taking action. The matter is scheduled to be heard on July 7.
The Rajasthan government has defended the demolition drive, saying the action was linked to national security concerns and that prior permission is required for constructing structures in the border belt.
The issue has also drawn political reactions. Govind Singh Dotasra, president of the Rajasthan Congress, criticised the demolitions and said such actions could affect communal harmony.
“Such actions can have serious implications for communal peace and must be addressed with sensitivity,” Dotasra told PTI.
The Congress recently organised a protest in Bikaner over the demolitions, while the ruling party has maintained that the action targeted illegal encroachments and was not based on religion.
District administration and police officials declined to comment on the matter, PTI reported.
