DID Press: A state-level leader of the Hindu nationalist group Hindu Yuva Vahini in India’s Uttar Pradesh has called for bulldozers to demolish a religious school and a 60-year-old mosque, accusing Muslims of occupying land illegally.
Raghavendra Pratap Singh, the group’s leader in Uttar Pradesh, made the remarks as part of what critics describe as the state’s controversial “bulldozer policy” — a practice involving the demolition of homes and properties belonging to Muslims and other alleged offenders, sometimes before judicial rulings.
Hindu Yuva Vahini was founded in 2002 by Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. Adityanath has been widely associated with aggressive measures against alleged illegal construction and has earned the nickname “Bulldozer Baba” because of the extensive use of demolition drives under his administration.
With a population of more than 240 million, Uttar Pradesh is India’s most populous state and a key battleground in national politics. Adityanath, who has consolidated his political position in the state, is frequently mentioned as a potential successor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Critics say the demolition campaign has disproportionately affected Muslim communities and contributed to deepening religious polarization in India. Human-rights groups and opposition parties have also raised concerns about due process and the use of state power in such operations.