Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) on Tuesday, 16 June called for an immediate halt to demolition drives being carried out across multiple Indian cities, while also raising concerns over the Rajya Sabha election process, the post-election situation in West Bengal, and the US–Iran peace agreement. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, senior JIH leaders urged civil society, human rights organisations, and legal experts to stand in solidarity with affected communities.

Demolitions Across Cities: Key Concerns

JIH Vice President Malik Motasim Khan listed a string of cities where demolition drives have taken place in recent weeks, including Delhi, Bandra, Faridabad, Viramgam (Gujarat), Goregaon (Maharashtra), Varanasi, Sambhal, Jaipur, Bhayandar, PCMC, and Etawah.

Khan highlighted that in Pimpri Chinchwad, authorities issued notices to multiple religious structures and demolished several during a late-night operation. In Surat's Nasir Nagar, 106 houses were razed over three days. In Jaipur, the Noorani Mosque was demolished as part of a road-widening project.

'Many affected families have been left without adequate shelter and with no clarity on rehabilitation. Demolitions during the extreme summer have already caused hardship, and the monsoon is likely to worsen the situation,' Khan said. He also invoked the Supreme Court's position that evictions must not be carried out without proper rehabilitation measures in place.

Rajya Sabha Elections: Procedural Fairness Under Scrutiny

JIH Vice President Salim Engineer raised concerns about what he described as recurring irregularities in the Rajya Sabha election process. 'Allegations of horse-trading, money power, intimidation of legislators, and crossvoting have become recurring features,' he said.

Engineer noted that the recent rejection of a Rajya Sabha candidate's nomination belonging to the Opposition — reportedly for the first time in the Upper House's history — 'puts a question mark on procedural fairness and sets a dangerous precedent.'

West Bengal: Reports of Political Coercion

Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) National Secretary Nadeem Khan flagged what he described as an atmosphere of intimidation in West Bengal following the state elections. 'There are many reports of attempts to forcibly and coercively shift political loyalties, break opposition parties, and incidents of street-level violence against political opponents,' he said.

Khan argued that developments in the state — including demolition drives alongside reports of political coercion — point to 'an emerging climate that is increasingly hazardous to democratic functioning.'

US–Iran Peace Deal: JIH Urges Accountability on Gaza

Welcoming the US–Iran peace agreement, Engineer expressed hope that all agreed-upon provisions would be implemented 'in both letter and spirit.' Jamaat-e-Islami Hind also called on the Government of India to play a more proactive role in promoting international peace and dialogue.

'We express our solidarity with the people of Iran and acknowledge their resilience. It is also important that the international community does not ignore ongoing injustices, particularly issues related to war crimes and humanitarian violations in Gaza and Palestine,' Engineer said.

JIH reiterated that protecting the rights, dignity, and security of all citizens remains fundamental to upholding India's constitutional and democratic framework. The organisation's leaders indicated they would continue to engage with civil society and legal bodies on these issues going forward.