India: Muslim-Owned Properties Demolished in Ujjain Amid Preparations for Hindu Pilgrimage
India: Muslim-Owned Properties Demolished in Ujjain Amid Preparations for Hindu Pilgrimage
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In a move stirring fresh controversy in India, the Ujjain Development Authority (UDA) demolished 12 houses and shops in the Muslim-majority Begumbagh locality near the Mahakal Temple, citing expired leases and illegal commercial use of land.
More details in the following report:
According to Clarion India, the action is part of the city’s redevelopment ahead of the Simhastha 2028 pilgrimage, one of Hinduism’s largest events.
The properties were originally allotted in 1985 under a 30-year residential lease plan, which expired and was reportedly not renewed after violations. UDA CEO Sandeep Soni stated that the demolition followed court orders and legal clearances, with more than 100 police and administrative staff mobilized.
Residents and Muslim community leaders argue the demolitions are targeted and discriminatory, pointing out that only Muslim-owned properties in the area appear to be affected while others remain. “We feel we’re being punished for being Muslims,” said one shop owner. Civil rights groups link this case to a broader pattern of bulldozer-driven clearances of Muslim homes in BJP-governed states.
Similar incidents this year include the razing of over 8,500 Muslim homes in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, near Chandola Talab in what officials called an anti-encroachment operation; the eviction of 1,400 families in Assam’s Goalpara district, mostly Bengali-origin Muslims, for a power-plant project; and demolition notices for a mosque and 80 homes in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal.
Rights groups and legal scholars have warned that such actions, often justified as encroachment removal or urban renewal, disproportionately affect Muslim neighborhoods. Reports by Counterview and other watchdogs note a growing trend of “bulldozer justice,” raising concerns over equality before the law and the weaponization of administrative power.
Human rights observers note that previous campaigns of land clearance under the guise of “anti-encroachment” or “urban redevelopment” often disproportionately impact Muslim minorities.
Authorities say the land will be used for “pilgrim convenience” infrastructure, including parking and lodging. But activists warn that development may be advancing at the cost of minority rights and social cohesion — leaving local families displaced just as preparations ramp up for one of Ujjain’s landmark religious festivals.
As Ujjain prepares for the 2028 Simhastha, the rubble of Begambagh stands as a reminder of the human cost of development—and of the widening trust deficit between India’s Muslim citizens and the state.
