Meerut housing project razed after BJP leader alleges Muslim-only sale and mosque

A week after a BJP leader sought action against a Muslim realty developer in Mumbai who was accused of promoting a complex that projected a Muslim atmosphere, another BJP leader’s complaint in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut, alleging that Abdullah Residency was selling homes only to Muslims and had built a mosque inside the complex, has led to demolition action by the authorities.

Parts of the under-construction Abdullah Residency, developed by retired Major General Javed Iqbal and Noida-based builder Mahendra Gupta, were razed after Meerut Development Authority officials acted upon a complaint submitted by Minister of State for Energy Somendra Tomar, who accused the developers of religious exclusivity and illegal construction, Maktoob Media reported.

Following the complaint, an FIR was registered at Nauchandi police station against Iqbal and Gupta after Uttar Pradesh Housing and Development Board junior engineer Sandeep Kumar alleged that the builders had encroached upon a 12-metre-wide public road adjoining the project, and the case was filed under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita dealing with encroachment and unauthorised construction.

District Magistrate V. K. Singh constituted a three-member committee comprising SDM Sadar Diksha Joshi, CO Civil Lines Abhishek Tiwari, and Executive Engineer Aftab Ahmad, and the team inspected the site under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act measurements, concluding that 300 square metres of land had been encroached. Bulldozers were brought in immediately, and videos of the demolition were widely circulated on social media, fuelling the controversy.

While district officials maintained that the action was taken against illegal construction and encroachment, the builders argued that the move represented bulldozer justice, disproportionately targeting Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, and Iqbal’s family members asserted that the project was open to buyers of all communities and that no mosque had been constructed within the premises.

Police confirmed that the investigation into the case was ongoing, and the inspection committee clarified that no mosque was found inside Abdullah Residency, although encroachment had been verified and reported to higher authorities for further action.

The controversy triggered political reactions as AIMIM’s Uttar Pradesh president, Shaukat Ali, accused the BJP and RSS of communalising the issue, asserting that land ownership gave the developers the right to sell to anyone and alleging that the ruling dispensation was fuelling divisions between Hindus and Muslims by raising disputes over religious sites.