NEW DELHI — The recent sealing of a mosque construction site in Morna village, under the Bhopa police jurisdiction, and the arrest of two Muslims has raised alarm among local Muslim communities and human rights observers. The Muzaffarnagar district police acted swiftly on Sunday to stop the construction of a mosque, claiming it was being built without government permission.
The arrested individuals, Niazuddin, the caretaker of the mosque, and Yunus, the owner of the plot on which the mosque was being built, were taken into custody and sent to jail under Section 170 of the BNS, a provision cited for illegal construction and disturbing public peace.
However, community members and legal experts argue that this action disproportionately targets Muslims and reflects a wider trend of restricting their religious rights.
“The mosque was being built to serve the local Muslim population’s spiritual needs,” said Niazuddin, the mosque caretaker, speaking from custody. “We were following our faith and traditions, and this sudden sealing and arrests feel like an attack on our religious freedom.”
According to police officials, constructing any religious structure in Uttar Pradesh requires prior government approval, a rule that officials say was not followed in this case.
Rural SP Aditya Bansal told reporters, “We received information yesterday evening that illegal religious structures were being constructed in Morna village without permission. We immediately informed the SDM Jansith, who sent a Tehsildar team to inspect the site. After confirming the violation, the property was sealed and two persons were arrested under Section 170 BNS for disturbing the peace.”
Yet many Muslims in Muzaffarnagar view the police action as part of a continuing pattern of harassment and discrimination. Local Farooq Ansari said, “This is not just about one mosque. It’s about a community being denied its right to build places of worship. Other religious groups often build freely, but Muslims face hurdles at every step.”
This story was originally published in clarionindia.net. Read the full story here.
