U.P. Muslim MPs urge government to refrain from targeted action on heritage structures

Muslim Members of Parliament (MPs) from Uttar Pradesh on Sunday (June 21, 2026) said authorities in the State apparatus should refrain from discriminatory demolitions of historical and heritage structures as it was not only a violation of religious and cultural rights, but also gave external adversaries unnecessary opportunities to speak about India’s internal matters. The MPs were questioning Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari’s comment over threats to historic, 1,000-year-old Masjid Ganj Shaheeda in Varanasi, and added that the Muslim community in Uttar Pradesh was capable enough to raise its concern for protection of historic sites within the robust democratic framework of India and need not take lessons from the leader of Pakistan.

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Ghazipur MP Afzal Ansari said that in Uttar Pradesh, the government at times took one-sided action on heritage structures related to Muslims over encroachment claims. It was an attempt to infringe on religious and cultural rights. It was sadly giving opportunities to external enemies to give lectures on minority rights to India and raise issues internationally, giving fresh salvo to their divisive agenda. “I in strongest words condemn the statement of Pakistan’s President. Muslims of India need no lessons from Pakistan’s President. We are living peacefully, enjoying constitutional rights in our homeland India. Muslim community in the State of Uttar Pradesh is capable enough to raise their concern for protection of historic sites within the robust democratic framework of India through an independent judiciary and system of governance,” he said. Muslims in India were living in a far better condition than people of Pakistan, Mr. Ansari added.  

On June 20, a post on X by the President of Pakistan read: “President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep concern over the demolitions and threats to historic Muslim religious sites in India, including the 1,000-year-old Masjid Ganj Shaheeda in Varanasi. He asked India to immediately stop such actions, warning that they risk leading to the disintegration and perennial chaos of India. He called for an immediate halt to such actions and urged the protection of minority rights and shared cultural heritage,”. 

Rajya Sabha member from the Samajwadi Party, Javed Ali Khan, said, “Foreign countries or heads of state have no rights to comment on internal affairs of India. We are a sovereign democratic country. Muslim community in Uttar Pradesh can deal with any grievance within the constitutional and democratic system. We need not want suggestions from others, but we as a country need to be cautious that any form of discrimination will help external forces to push their agenda internationally against our homeland India”. 

Congress National Secretary Shahnawaz Alam said: “The government action is helping Pakistan to build a narrative on religious freedom and democratic rights against India. We should follow in letter and spirit the ideas enshrined in the Constitution like cultural rights, right to freedom of religion and effectively building a secular, pluralistic society”.