Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani drew sharp criticism from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the right-wing outfit Hindu Yuva Vahini on Wednesday, 28 October, after he asserted that mosques currently facing destruction or threats would, God willing, flourish once more, and that the call of 'Allahu Akbar' would again resound within them. The remarks, posted on social media platform X, ignited a fresh round of political and communal controversy.

What Madani Said

In his post, Madani stated that those currently in power would not remain so forever, underscoring that governments come and go but no power on earth has ever succeeded in erasing Islam, nor would any be able to in the future. The statement was widely interpreted as a direct reference to ongoing legal disputes and demolitions involving mosques across India, though Madani did not name a specific case.

NDA and Hindu Yuva Vahini Hit Back

Hindu Yuva Vahini state in-charge Raghavendra Pratap Singh asserted that the establishment of 'Ram Rajya' had already begun under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He said: 'India will not only become a Hindu Rashtra but its influence would extend across the world...people like Arshad Madani survive on such statements, but this would just be a dream for them.' Referring to Partition, Singh remarked that 'India and Pakistan were divided based on religion; still these people shamelessly remained in this country' — a comment likely to draw its own criticism.

Uttar Pradesh Minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief OP Rajbhar alleged that clerics like Madani were the 'enemies of Muslims', claiming they keep Muslim communities away from education, healthcare, and employment. Rajbhar further contended: 'After Independence, Muslims accounted for 38 per cent of government jobs. Today, after these clerics helped Congress and the Samajwadi Party, Muslims account for less than 1 per cent of government jobs. Who is responsible? Is it the BJP? These clerics, including Madani, are responsible.' These figures were cited by Rajbhar without an independent source, and could not be immediately verified.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Praveen Khandelwal described the remark as 'unfortunate', adding that it was 'in a way, an attempt to disrupt communal harmony in the country.'

A Voice in Support

Not all responses were critical. All India Shia Personal Law Board General Secretary Maulana Yasoob Abbas backed Madani's statement, asserting that every Indian citizen, regardless of religion, holds a Constitutional right to visit their chosen place of worship. Abbas said: 'The way mosques are being demolished and targeted is absolutely wrong. Be it a temple, mosque, gurdwara, or any other religious site, people go there for peace of mind. In Hindustan, Hindus and Muslims are the two eyes of this country; that is the strength of this nation.'

Abbas also emphasised that Muslims who stayed in India after Partition possessed full religious freedom under the Constitution, adding: 'If they do not have this right, then change the Constitution and take away their religious freedom.'

Why This Matters

The controversy erupts against a backdrop of heightened legal activity around mosque-temple disputes in India, including ongoing court proceedings in several states. Madani's remarks — and the swift, polarised reactions they triggered — reflect deepening tensions over religious sites, minority rights, and majoritarian politics. Notably, this is not the first time Madani's public statements have drawn coordinated rebuttals from NDA constituents; similar exchanges have occurred following court orders on disputed religious structures. With state elections on the horizon in several parts of the country, such flashpoints are unlikely to recede quickly.