Congress leaders detained in Saharanpur mosque demolition row

Police in Uttar Pradesh detained Congress president Ajay Rai and several party colleagues on Monday amid growing unrest over the demolition of a mosque in Saharanpur district. The detentions marked an intensification of the row surrounding the structure's removal, which has drawn criticism from opposition quarters.

The Congress party condemned the police action as a display of authoritarian rule, asserting that the state administration was acting at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party government. Party representatives argued that the detention of senior leaders constituted an attempt to suppress dissenting voices and prevent the opposition from voicing concerns over the demolition.

The incident underscores deepening tensions between the ruling BJP and opposition parties in India's most populous state. The demolition of the Saharanpur mosque has become a flashpoint in the state's increasingly polarized political landscape, with opposition leaders demanding an explanation for the administrative action.

Uttar Pradesh has witnessed multiple incidents of contested demolitions in recent years, often drawing accusations from civil liberties groups and opposition parties of selective or partisan enforcement. The Congress party's detention signals a hardening stance against dissent as the state grapples with religious and communal sensitivities.