“If My Mosque Is Demolished, I Can’t Call for a Temple to Be Demolished”: Saharanpur MP Imran Masood

For me, the peace of my city comes first, and the Hindus here are standing with me. The Hindus are standing with me, and they are also fighting this battle with great strength. Right now, as I am moving around the city. When you talk to the common people, it seems there is a clear divide visible here. This is a legal matter, and we are very strong in the eyes of the law. For God's sake, do not divert this. The mosque was bulldozed. But there is also a temple right here. And the temple has neither been bulldozed nor declared illegal. If my mosque was demolished, I cannot appeal for someone else's temple to be demolished. I will protect the mosque, and I will protect the temple too. This is Saharanpur. There is also an accusation against you, Imran Sahab, that you did not protest properly. What happened in Bareilly? In Bareilly, Tauqeer Raza Sahab has not received bail to this day, and there are at least 50 people with him whose everything has been destroyed. Imran Sahab, wouldn't it have been better if you hadn't trusted the DM's word? Where you feel that the administration cannot be trusted. No, if I don't trust them...If you had sat there on a protest all night, wouldn't you look like a leader who is fighting? No, no, I wouldn't look like I'm fighting. The Muslim would be seen dying here; I am telling you again and again, it doesn't hurt them to kill us. But how long will the Muslim remain silent like this? Sambhal, Babri Masjid, there is a long list. Keep shouting "mosque, mosque," more mosques will continue to fall. So then what should we do, what should we do? Do nothing, just pray to Allah, pray to Allah. This country runs on the Constitution, but God and Allah are there too, right? At 'Now', we bring you stories through data and ground realities that are often suppressed or misrepresented. We are an independent platform. Meaning, we have no corporate backing behind us. Our real strength is you. 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The land documents are screaming that the land is centuries old and the owners of the land even today...Forget about yesterday, leave aside the talk of possession, the owners of this land are still Yakub Khan and Wahid Khan. It is number 84, an 84-bigha plot, inside which the entire collectorate is located. Hmm. The collectorate is also built on occupied land. The collectorate was built by occupying the land. You are saying the opposite. I am not saying the opposite. These papers are speaking. Okay. These are the papers. This is still the case today. We have submitted the 1324 and 1359 settlements. Everything was brushed aside. It is still in their names today. The collectorate is also in their names. And adverse possession is considered for a common man. There is no adverse possession for the government. There is a Supreme Court ruling where the Supreme Court stated that the government is a protector, not a land mafia. So, they cannot even claim adverse possession by saying they have attained it. So this is completely, entirely illegal. This mosque was old. Therefore, it was covered under the 1991 Act. It was covered under the Worship Act. It was a pre-1947 structure. Secondly, it is covered under the Limitation Act. Because since 1960, the Government of India had been paying rent, acknowledging them as the owners. The Telecommunications Department. It is covered under Waqf by User. The new act will not apply to the old structure. Because prayers were being held inside it continuously. Prayers were held here until two prayer sessions before it was martyred. So, it was covered under that. That was ignored. All documents are screaming that it is a mosque. That was ignored. They took a minute and used a bulldozer. The order given by the City Magistrate also only mentioned eviction. It was for eviction. Hmm. It did not include demolition. Hmm. It was eviction. So, this work that has been done is completely illegal. It has been done by setting the law aside. Hmm. And everything will be heard within the Supreme Court and the High Court. Only the documents that are on file will hold weight. So are you saying that the court has also acted under the influence of the government? See, I don't know because the District Court only dismissed our appeal. Hmm. But the City Magistrate is completely under the government's influence; they didn't even look at anything. First of all, an investigation was conducted into this. The ADA here, Archana Dwivedi, she conducted the investigation. That entire investigation report was made to disappear. Hmm. That entire investigation report was made to disappear. But it is also being said that the 1911 electricity bill......that the Mosque Committee has provided. It is being said that you are providing a bill from 1911. But electricity in Saharanpur only came in 1912...In 1906. Yes. Yes. Electricity came to Saharanpur in 1906, and this is a bill taken from the electricity department's website. Okay. Yes, it is not generated in any such way; it is a bill taken from the electricity board's website, and they submitted an application with this bill stating, "Sir, we obtained this bill from the electricity board's website." Summon the Superintending Engineer and have them verify it. So whose responsibility did the verification become? But they didn't do it because it was taken from the website. Okay. And it is being said—the claim being made is that this mosque was built before independence, that is, 1911; and I was watching that a journalist had formally shown that they picked up debris from 1909, bricks from 1906 or '09, which they picked up and showed from that very debris. But the other side says that this mosque is only 70 years old, and in a way, the people who worked here at the Collectorate were given permission to come here and pray, and they occupied it. Who would give permission? The one who is the owner would give permission, right? Hmm. You are not the owner, you are not even the owner today, so what kind of permission from you? The owners are still Yaqub Khan and Waheed Khan even today. Why is all this not proven in court? Listen, the City Magistrate didn't even listen to any papers. Now we will answer in the High Court; will there be any hooliganism in the High Court? The High Court and Supreme Court will look at the file; everything is present on the file. They said by making the Khasra the basis, by making the Khasra the basis, they said that—for which we even submitted a Supreme Court ruling. That Khasra can only be made the basis in Madhya Pradesh. In Uttar Pradesh, Khewat and Khatauni will prevail; their name is still in the Khewat today, so what was the hurry to bulldoze it in such a rush, I would call it the cover of darkness? It is a political agenda. It is nothing but that, and the officials are working blindly on this political agenda and they will be the ones trapped tomorrow. They will have to answer for this. They executed it, so they will be the ones to answer. So, are you going to file a writ in Allahabad? It has already been filed. It has been filed. Yes. And what are you expecting from the Allahabad High Court? Look, I believe we will get 100%justice from the High Court because, look, when a judge sits down with an open mind, all the files will come forward. They will be reprimanded. They will be fined. The High Court, the Allahabad High Court, on the PDA...Hmm. ...imposed a fine on the Prayagraj Development Authority. Similarly, for such demolitions, a fine of 42 lakh or 2 lakh rupees was imposed. Hmm. All this is going to happen. But if you did not get justice from the lower court, how can you expect it? We didn't even go to the lower court. We did appeal in the lower court. They rejected our appeal against the eviction order. Hmm. Other than that, there is nothing. It didn't even go to the lower court properly. We had to go to the High Court with this matter anyway. You had 22 days. Yes. You had 22 days to go to the High Court during those 22 days. Meaning, you should have gone to the High Court and filed your writ there. But that opportunity was not given either. No, in a rush. The order was given on the third, and the demolition started on the evening of the fourth. There is also an accusation against you, Imran Sahab, that you did not protest properly. As an MP from here, you should have been seen fighting, but you were not seen fighting. If I had been seen fighting, then funeral processions would have been seen on people's shoulders. Sambhal and Bareilly would have been seen happening here. My responsibility is to save my city. My responsibility is not to set the city on fire. This battle is of the law and can only be fought within the scope of the law. This fight—what will you achieve with sticks and clubs? You tell me, what happened in Sambhal? The police fired directly; bullets hit the forehead, bullets hit the chest. And what was the FIR? That rioters killed them. What rioters? There were no Hindus there. It was the police and the Muslims facing each other there. What rioters came there? Five people died. How many people were ruined? What happened in Bareilly? Tauqeer Raza Sahab has not received bail in Bareilly to this day. And there are at least 50 people with him whose everything has been destroyed. So, I will not let Saharanpur become Bareilly or Sambhal. When the riots happened in 2014. The MP here was there. I was standing there stopping the riots, and he was roaming in cars getting the city burnt. So, I am not that MP. I would rather die myself, but I will save my city at the cost of my life. But Imran Sahab, is it not a leader's job to make the people who voted for you feel that if they are emotionally attached to something, like a mosque which is such an ancient mosque, and you were told that you were placed under house arrest? That is why you are not able to go out. And then people said that leaders are placed under house arrest, so will the leader just sit locked in his house and watch this spectacle? Look, I was not placed under house arrest. I Was not placed under house arrest. I talked to the District Magistrate at night, I spoke twice. I felt that they would demolish it. We cannot stop them with sticks and clubs. You could not stop them by facing the police with sticks and clubs. My standing there would have meant me going and bringing a crowd of 2000 people. Bullets would have been fired. The outcome would have been the same. The outcome would still have been the same. But the city would have caught fire. Is my job to set things on fire? No, my job is not to set things on fire. I am fighting this battle, it is a legal battle, and I am fighting it strongly, and we will fight it strongly and will also win, Inshallah. I came here and as soon as I arrived, I held a press conference. They have demolished other mosques in the whole world today too. Why is there a mention of this mosque in Saharanpur? Because I am advocating for it strongly. I am fighting the battle firmly from here. Today the whole world knows that they have demolished it illegally. People across every state in all of India are crying, and the people of my Saharanpur are crying. The BJP MLA is crying. Ex-MLA Shashi Bala Pundir, because this is Saharanpur. Here, Saharanpur does not rub salt into wounds. It applies balm on wounds. And as dear as the mosque is to me, it is just as dear to you. It is just as dear to a third person. Everyone will feel the pain of the mosque. Imran Sahab, wouldn't it be the case that why did you believe the DM's word when you feel that the government administration—if I hadn't believed it...If you had sat there on protest all night, don't you think you would have been seen as a leader fighting? No, no, I would not have been seen as fighting. Here, Muslims would be seen dying. I am telling you again and again, it doesn't hurt them to kill. None of them have fought more than me; I have always fought here. And I fight for my people. If I die, I don't care, but that 10 or 20 other people die because of me—that is not possible for me. I cannot get them killed. For me, the peace of my city comes first, and the Hindus here are standing with me, and the Hindus are standing by me, and the Hindus are also fighting this battle strongly. In this case, two testimonies have been given by Hindus; two testimonies have been given by Hindus before the City Magistrate. But since I am roaming the city right now, when you talk to the common people, it seems like there is a clear divide visible. There is also a silence here. A clear divide is also visible. People are seen saying that look, there was a well, then it was occupied, and now there are people in the mosque. Nothing happens just because they say so. The testimony in this has also been given by Hindus themselves. In favor of the mosque. You are saying that the attempt being made to communalize the atmosphere did not succeed. It did not happen. Are you saying this with a guarantee? It has not happened. Now I am saying that they even tried by putting up posters the next day. Posters were put up here the next day, but nothing happened. But by making Saharanpur a center, is a kind of narrative being presented for all of Western Uttar Pradesh, and it is being said that Uttarakhand is also near from here? So, in a way...Look, it will absolutely not happen. It will absolutely not happen. There will be no communal tension here, Insha'Allah. I will not let the stigma of riots stain my city. I will put in all the strength I have. And I also appeal to everyone. Hmm. Look, the battle will be fought through the law. This is a legal matter, and we are very strong in the eyes of the law. For God's sake, do not divert this. This government wants to divert the issue. I will not let it be diverted. Hmm. You think that protesting there would have stopped the mosque. It was not going to stop under any circumstances. I even have inputs that jails were already cleared out. That they were going to make arrests on a massive scale immediately. Hmm. When I am in a responsible position, it is my duty to do work that benefits the people. I might personally benefit from something, but I do not prioritize my own gain. For me, it is my district, my city, and my people. Is there some kind of rift going on between you and the Samajwadi Party? Because initially, there were reports that you had been placed under house arrest. Then after that, Ira Hasan said she had been placed under house arrest. Some other leaders of the Samajwadi Party also said they were under house arrest. Then your stance shifted when you said you were not placed under house arrest. I never even said I was placed under house arrest. I never said that. Nor was I placed under house arrest. Hmm. When did I say that? I was in Delhi. I came straight from Delhi. I came straight to Shahnawaz's place and held a press conference. I held a press conference right after coming from Shahnawaz's place. No, tell me, in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections, will there be an alliance between you and the Samajwadi Party? It is said that because of you and the kind of statements you are making, it is getting stuck somewhere, and you don't want an alliance between Congress and the Samajwadi Party. These accusations are made. Secondly, wouldn't it have been better if, since you are in an alliance called the INDIA bloc, you and the SP leaders had raised your voices together? Why are these two separate voices being raised—yours is different and the Samajwadi Party's is different? No, their party is different. My party is different. But you...I am not for the Congress. An alliance will happen when it happens. Right now, the alliance has no shape or form. Hmm. When the alliance happens. This decision regarding the alliance is for the party. I won't just bury my own party. I will fight for my party. I am in the Congress. I will talk about the survival of the Congress, and everyone fights for their own survival, don't they? So there is nothing new in this. My final question, are you feeling any tension regarding the coming Friday? Because if even a few people of yours are there, I am saying this on your channel and I would want it to be circulated as well. We I want to make a humble request to everyone. For God's sake, do not let its direction be turned. Keep peace. Victory will be yours. There is great power in the staff of God. Victory will be yours. Because your papers are speaking very strongly. For God's sake, do not let this be diverted. Suppress your grief and anger. The fight is legal. We have to fight this legally. And we will win in this as well. I have told you everything. I have shown all the documents. The person who talks about provocation is your enemy. By provoking you, they can only get you beaten or killed. They can run bulldozers over your houses. Nothing else is going to happen. And this is the government's intention. So, for God's sake, my appeal to everyone is to offer Friday prayers and pray. That's it. I have two more small questions arising from your point. You have said another thing that in this magistrate area, a mosque was bulldozed, but there is also a temple here, and the temple has neither been bulldozed nor declared illegal. So, do you have any demand regarding this? You Not at all. This is Saharanpur. If my mosque was demolished, I cannot appeal for the demolition of someone's temple. I will protect the mosque. I will protect the temple too. This is Saharanpur. I will protect the temple too. But people are saying that when I was talking to some people there at the magistrate office, as I was trying to find the temple because I found the mosque demolished. But where is the temple? Then I found out that when you go out of the magistrate area and towards the outside, that is where the temple is. And some people were saying there. I said, "Oh, there is a temple here too, so please tell me." Then they said, "No, no, Imran Masood is just trying to do politics.""Trying to provoke, that if the mosque is demolished then..." I never said that, I am still saying that I stand for the protection of both the mosque and the temple equally. I will definitely not talk about demolishing the temple. The question does not even arise. That is our demand. We And all these Muslims are saying this. I am not saying this. Imran is not saying this. All Muslims are saying this. This is Saharanpur. When two Hindus are testifying for my mosque. A senior female BJP leader is posting tearful videos for my mosque. So, this is the very Saharanpur. We do not rub salt into anyone's wounds. We apply balm to wounds. When we were wounded, my Hindu brothers are applying the balm. But how long will the Muslim remain silent like this? Sambhal, Babri Masjid, there is a long, extensive list circulating on WhatsApp containing thousands of mosques. Anyone from Bajrang Dal or someone else...You keep shouting "mosque, mosque," and more of these will be demolished. So then, what should we do? What should we do? Do nothing, just pray to Allah, pray to Allah. This country is run by the Constitution, but if there is a Constitution, is there God and Allah too? We...The Constitution is in force; pray to Allah that the Constitution survives. And the Muslim who walks around with a blindfold on. For the sake of Allah, I request, do not keep the blindfold on. Act with awareness and wisdom. Will you not praise Muslims for acting with such honesty? No, no, what is the use of such honesty if you just create a ruckus? It turns out that as soon as you make noise, the other side gathers votes and they win. We get beaten. Who gets beaten? It is the Muslims who suffer. But you see, the mosque was bulldozed, and I see people going about their daily lives as if...And what else will they do? And what else will they do? What do you want? Tell me, you tell me, what do you want? What else should they do? See, the Muslims at this moment...They have troubled the Muslims so much right now, and this is their objective. That you should look troubled. This is indeed their objective. But I say repeatedly that 250 million people cannot be sidelined. You cannot remove 250 million people from the country. As far as we can try to save the peace and harmony of this country, we will make every effort to ensure peace remains within the nation. If Yogi Adityanath comes here regarding this mosque and holds a rally or something and tries to divide us. Just like he said about Jauhar University. He brought up Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar; it's the same thing all over again, isn't it? It’s the same thing again. I am saying that Muslims should act with wisdom. Why are Muslims getting entangled in their trap? That is their very objective. Their only goal is for you to jump, and the moment you jump, it's game over on the other side. Keep jumping. Then you should just keep jumping, right? Your jumping isn't making any difference, is it? They’ve already plucked you out like a fly from milk and tossed you aside. Earlier, Muslims used to make a lot of noise that nothing could be built without them. It is being built without you. Alright, Imran Sahab, thank you very much for your time. Thank you so much.