Demolition Drive Against Muslims’ Properties in Uttar Pradesh

The Yogi Adityanath-led Hindutva government in Uttar Pradesh has initiated a large-scale demolition in Lucknow’s Akbar Nagar, causing distress and trauma among thousands of residents, predominantly Muslims.

The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) deployed heavy machinery and security personnel to raze shops and houses in the over 50-year-old Akbar Nagar locality, affecting over 25,000 people, mostly daily wage earners.

Residents scrambled to gather belongings as bulldozers moved in, with some resisting the demolition. The area was barricaded, and traffic diverted to facilitate the drive, with eight companies of security forces deployed.

The plight of Akbar Nagar residents, fearing the loss of their homes, has garnered attention, with a 12-year-old girl’s viral plea to political leaders highlighting the desperation. Critics view the demolition as part of the Yogi government’s “Riverfront Project,” displacing thousands and jeopardizing livelihoods.

Reports indicate a systematic pattern of demolishing Muslim properties under BJP-led states, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, known for Yogi Adityanath’s anti-Muslim rhetoric. Between 2022 and 2023, 1.5 lakh houses were demolished, displacing over 7.4 lakh people, according to the New Delhi-based Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN).

Civil society members and activists condemn the demolitions as targeted violence against minority communities, echoing Amnesty International’s call to halt unlawful demolitions of Muslim properties across multiple states. The Akbar Nagar demolition reignites concerns over discriminatory practices and the protection of minority rights in India.