Uttarkashi Mahapanchayat calls for Yogi's bulldozer action to deal with unlawful religious buildings

A 'mahapanchayat' organized on Sunday in Uttarkashi by the right-wing group Devbhoomi Vichar Manch, along with other supporting organizations, renewed demands for the demolition of what they claim to be illegal religious structures in Uttarakhand.

The event, which took place at Ramleela Ground, called for "strict action" against unlawful religious buildings, a sentiment echoed by BJP MLA T Raja Singh from Telangana, who was the key speaker.

The mahapanchayat, which was attended by over 350 people, including BJP MLA from Gangotri, Suresh Chauhan, focused on issues surrounding illegal mosques and the so-called "land jihad."


Singh urged Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to adopt the methods of Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, particularly in matters related to land encroachments and religious structures.

“CM Dhami needs to bring in some bulldozers to answer the land jihadis in the language they understand,” said Singh.

He added that the Chief Minister should act in accordance with the sentiments of Uttarakhand’s Hindus who, he claimed, wanted the state to be free from “land jihad.”

Furthermore, Singh called for unity against what he called "land jihad," urging people to set aside caste and creed.

"People need to unite against land jihad in Uttarakhand while putting aside caste and creed," he said during his speech.

Controversial remarks

Singh did not hold back in his criticism of political figures either, particularly targeting MP Asaduddin Owaisi. Singh questioned Owaisi’s position on the issue of illegal mosques in Uttarakhand, calling out the MP for his remarks against actions taken by the state government.

“While sitting in Hyderabad, he speaks on the action taken against illegal mosques and mazaars in Uttarakhand, claiming that it is against the Constitution. I want to ask him which Constitution allows the construction of illegal mosques and mazaars?” Singh asked.

He also urged Owaisi to focus on issues in Palestine, suggesting that if the MP was so concerned, he should speak out from their land instead of from India.

Despite the heated rhetoric, the mahapanchayat was held under tight supervision by the local administration, which had granted "conditional permission" for the gathering.

Authorities stipulated that the event must take place at least 250 meters away from a mosque and that hate speech should be avoided. According to Sarita Dobhal, Superintendent of Police (SP), the event concluded peacefully without any reports of violence or hate speech.

"The event concluded peacefully. There were no reports of any violence or hate speech. Our personnel were vigilant to ensure law and order was maintained," said Dobhal.