AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday, June 21, 2026, alleged that a wave of demolitions targeting mosques, dargahs, and other Muslim religious sites has been carried out across Rajasthan's western border districts of Bikaner, Phalodi, Jaisalmer, and Barmer, and directly called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah to halt what he termed 'discriminatory and targeted' action.

What Owaisi Alleged

Citing AIMIM Bikaner District President Shafi Jameel Qasmi as his on-ground source, Owaisi stated that four mosques in Bikaner and nine mosques and dargahs spread across Phalodi, Jaisalmer, and Barmer have already been demolished. He added that notices have reportedly been issued to hundreds of additional religious sites in the region.

Among the structures facing action, Owaisi specifically identified the approximately 250-year-old dargah of Hazrat Mahmood Shah Jilani, located on the Ramgarh–Tanot Bypass Road in Jaisalmer district. The Hyderabad MP wrote that authorities have justified the demolitions on national security grounds, while in some cases alleging the structures stand on grazing land. He further claimed that where private ownership has been demonstrated, the stated reason has shifted to absence of requisite permissions.

Context

Rajasthan's western frontier districts share a long border with Pakistan and have historically been subject to periodic land-clearance operations by civil and paramilitary authorities citing security requirements, particularly since the 1999 Kargil conflict. The region encompasses sensitive military zones where land-use restrictions are more stringent than in the country's interior.

Owaisi, who represents Hyderabad in the Lok Sabha and leads the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), has consistently raised issues of alleged discrimination against Muslim communities in Parliament and on public platforms. His post addressed @AmitShah directly, framing the demolitions as a law-and-order matter under the Home Ministry's purview.

Policy Backdrop

Since 2017, several BJP-governed states have conducted large-scale anti-encroachment drives, typically invoking municipal laws or land-use regulations. Courts have on multiple occasions intervened in similar demolition drives in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi, either staying orders or directing authorities to follow due process before razing structures.

The Rajasthan cases sit at the intersection of border management policy and constitutional protections for places of worship. The Indian Constitution guarantees the right of religious minorities to establish and maintain religious institutions, while also empowering the state to regulate land use in the interest of public order and security.

Stakeholders and Impact

The communities most immediately affected are Muslim residents of Bikaner, Phalodi, Jaisalmer, and Barmer districts, including custodians and congregants of the sites reportedly demolished or served notice. Sufi shrines such as the dargah of Hazrat Mahmood Shah Jilani often serve as centres of local religious and cultural life, drawing visitors from surrounding villages.

Opposition parties and civil liberties groups are likely to scrutinise whether the demolitions were preceded by proper legal notice, whether affected parties were given an opportunity to respond, and whether comparable action has been taken against non-Muslim religious structures in the same zones.

What's Next

Legal challenges before the Rajasthan High Court or the Supreme Court of India remain the most immediate avenue for affected communities seeking relief. A formal clarification from the Union Home Ministry or the Rajasthan state government on the legal basis and scope of the clearance drive would be significant in determining whether the demolitions continue or are paused pending judicial review. Owaisi's public call-out of Amit Shah signals that the issue is likely to be pressed in Parliament as well.