Indian authorities bulldoze “ancient” mosque in Haryana, Pakistan issues condemnation

The Indian government has demolished an “ancient” mosque in the state of Haryana.

Pakistan has issued a statement condemning the act.

Indian government demolished the ancient Bilal Mosque in Haryana. pic.twitter.com/tHbo3Qiau0

— CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) August 23, 2021

On Monday, the Government of India bulldozed the Bilal Mosque in the city of Faridabad in Haryana.

According to reports, the mosque was demolished as per the orders of the Supreme Court of India, which alleged that the mosque was constructed on encroached forest land in Faridabad’s Khori Gaon village.

The mosque’s demolition orders were issued to the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF) on the 19th of February, 2020.

The residents of Khori Gaon claim that the authorities were acting quickly in demolishing the properties belonging to the poor.

However, farmhouses and commercial structures constructed on forest land by the rich are being ignored.

The demolition of the ancient “Bilal Masjid” in Faridabad-Haryana State-is clear evidence of the government’s bigotry in 🇮🇳. Minorities in 🇮🇳 do not have the slightest protection and this move has exposed the extremist face of 🇮🇳 to the world.@Team4PK
#IndianMuslimsUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/F0yHTUxevo

— حسن ساجد (@DSI786) August 23, 2021

Pakistan condemns the demolition

On Tuesday, the Spokesperson of Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO), Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, issued a statement condemning the “unjust demolition” of the Bilal Mosque by the Indian authorities.

In the statement, Pakistan condemned the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and the Indian judiciary for the demolition.

The statement also recalled when the Indian Supreme Court, in November 2019, permitted the Hindutva fanatics to build Ram Mandir at the site of the historic Babri Mosque, destroyed by Hindutva followers in 1992.

The statement also recalled times when the Indian authorities openly and systematically attack Muslims.

These included the 2002 Gujarat riots against Muslims and the attack on Muslims in the Indian capital of Dehli in February 2020.

Pakistan also urged the international community, the United Nations (UN), the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and human rights groups to hold India accountable for “systematic and blatant human rights violations of minorities, especially Muslims.”

Pakistan strongly condemns unjust demolition of Bilal Mosque in Haryana by Indian authorities in consort with pliant judiciary under BJP-RSS regime and continues to urge int’l community to hold India accountable for systematic human rights violations of minorities, esp. Muslims.

— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) August 24, 2021

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