Nine people have been booked after a mob participating in a Dasara procession, broke out into Mahmud Gawan madrasa in Karnataka’s Bidar and performed puja.
After a video of the crowd performing puja inside the heritage madrasa went viral, members of the Muslim community protested outside the local police station demanding to take action against the accused.
Additional Superintendent of Police, Mahesh Meghannavar told the media that nine persons have been booked on charges of illegally trespassing into the heritage structure.
Several Muslim organisations from Bidar held protests and demanded the arrest of the accused. They have also warned that a huge protest will be held after Friday prayers if the accused are not arrested.
Hitting out at the BJP-led Karnataka government over the incident, Asaduddin Owaisi, the chief of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) accused the ruling BJP of promoting such activity to “demean Muslims”. Visuals from historic Mahmud Gawan masjid & madrasa, Bidar, #Karnataka (5th October). Extremists broke the gate lock & attempted to desecrate. @bidar_police @BSBommai how can you allow this to happen? BJP is promoting such activity only to demean Muslims pic.twitter.com/WDw1Gd1b93— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) October 6, 2022
Built during the 1460s, the Mahmud Gawan madrasa in Bidar is a heritage structure that comes under the Archaeological Survey of India. The ancient structure reflects the regional style of Indo-Islamic architecture. It also comes under the list of monuments of national importance.
