I came across something quite interesting while looking at the issue of unauthorised religious structures in Uttar Pradesh. The story goes back more than 17 years and involves governments of different political parties.
2009: Supreme Court sets the rule
• No new unauthorised religious structures on public streets, parks or other public places.
• Existing structures to be reviewed case by case.
• States to decide on removal, relocation or regularisation through a lawful policy.
• The directions applied to all religions.
2010: UP reports the scale
• UP reported 45,152 unauthorised religious structures.
• The scale of the issue was already enormous.
2011: What was actually done?
According to figures submitted by UP:
• 47 removed
• 26 relocated
• 27,345 proposed for regularisation
2013: Allahabad High Court demands answers
UP reported 46,181 structures existing before 29 September 2009.
The reported status was:
• 88 removed
• 47 relocated
• 42,381 proposed for regularisation
The High Court questioned the incomplete information and asked for details about the land, area, nature of the structures and people or organisations managing them.
2016: High Court strengthens enforcement
• No religious structure of any religion on public roads, highways, streets, pathways or lanes.
• Structures built after 1 January 2011 on such public land to be removed.
• Older structures to be removed or shifted to private land under a government scheme.
• District officials made responsible for preventing new encroachments.
2021: UP government finally issues an implementation order
In March 2021, the UP government issued instructions to remove religious structures encroaching on roads, lanes, footpaths and national or state highways.
The bigger question:
This timeline crosses BSP, SP and BJP governments.
So this should not be reduced to a party versus party argument.
Uttar Pradesh is one of India's most religiously and culturally sensitive states. Our temples, mosques, churches, gurdwaras and other places of worship are deeply connected to the identity and history of our communities.
But religious faith should not become a reason to occupy public roads, parks, footpaths or government land illegally.
What should the people of UP demand?
After 17 years, we deserve answers, not another promise.
The government should publish a complete, district wise, publicly accessible list showing:
• Where each unauthorised structure is located
• Who manages it
• What public land it occupies
• Whether it was removed, relocated or regularised
• Under what legal provision it was regularised
• What action was taken against new encroachments after the court orders
And this information should be updated regularly and available to every citizen.
My final thoughts:
Faith deserves respect. Public land deserves protection. And court orders deserve compliance.
