All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has vehemently alleged that a portion of Waqf-owned property adjoining the Faiz-e-Elahi mosque near Delhi's Turkman Gate was demolished during a late-night anti-encroachment drive on January 7, 2026, directly linking the action to the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.

The demolition, executed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in compliance with a Delhi High Court order from November 2025, targeted alleged illegal structures such as a banquet hall and diagnostic centre built recently on public land, while authorities emphasized that the century-old mosque itself remained untouched and intact.

The operation, commencing around 1:30 AM, escalated into violence when protesters hurled stones at police and MCD personnel, injuring five officers and prompting the use of tear gas; several individuals were detained, with an FIR registered against unidentified persons for rioting and related offenses.

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Speaking at a rally in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar ahead of upcoming civic polls, Owaisi condemned the demolition as the "beginning" of seizures of Muslim religious properties under what he termed a "black law" passed with support from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and allies including Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar, and Chandrababu Naidu, vowing to challenge the matter in the Supreme Court.

Owaisi further criticized the Delhi High Court's decision despite a 1970 Gazette notification declaring the land as Waqf property, accused the Delhi Waqf Board of failing to file a review petition, and urged voters to reject ruling parties to protect mosques and graveyards, while invoking constitutional values and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's emphasis on religious freedom.

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