Muslim-linked structures are targeting electoral gains ahead of Assembly elections, says opposition in UP

Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari. File | Photo credit: PTI

Opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday (July 18, 2026) said they fear increased targeting of structures linked to the Muslim community ruling the dispensation for political gains ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections.

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The Rampur Development Authority’s (RDA) order to demolish 38 out of 40 buildings over alleged illegal construction at Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, run by Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan, or the demolition drive in Sambhal district were attempts to communalise the state’s social environment ahead of the assembly elections, they said, targeting the community.

Opposition leaders asked the Supreme Court to intervene as the guardian of India’s constitution, tasked with protecting the fundamental rights of citizens from executive overreach.

“This (demolition action) is a nefarious design to target structures and places that are associated with the Muslim community or people associated with the community. As the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh approach in the next six months, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government will intensify this attack against these structures under the guise of encroachment. According to all these internal surveys, P’s position is very weak; I request the Supreme Court of India to take notice of such motivated demolition pressure because the Supreme Court is the custodian of the constitution and mandated by the constitution to ensure that government actions uphold the rule of law and protect the fundamental rights of citizens from any overreach by the executive,” said Afzal Ansari of Ghazpur and a senior MP.

The BJP is trying to establish everyday communalism in the minds of the people through such targeted attempts, the Congress party said. “With the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls around the corner, such evil actions in the name of demolition of minority related structures will escalate as BJP has no other way to fight the polls. In terms of development and employment, the government’s performance is dismal. Therefore, every bid will be pursued to prevent division of the society at the communal level, including the accountability of India on all judicial lines.” attempt to succeed because it attacks the idea of ​​India,” said Shahnawaz Alam, national secretary of the Congress.

Published – 18 Jul 2026 21:53 IST