Special Correspondent: In yet another instance of religious discrimination in Modi’s India, a Muslim family in BJP-ruled Uttarakhand state was prevented from constructing a house on his legally purchased plot by a local Hindu ward councilor and his associates.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Asim Ansari said he had purchased a registered plot of approximately 150 square yards in Ward No. 31, Ishwari Alliance Colony in 2020. However, he was stopped from starting construction work by Councillor Sachin Munjal and his associate Vijay Arora.

In a complaint lodged at the local police station, Ansari said that on May 3, Munjal and Arora, along with 5-10 supporters, halted the construction work and warned him: “We will not allow any Muslim to build a house here, and no Muslim shall reside in this lane or in this locality.” He further said they pressured him to sell the plot at a significantly lower price, issued death threats and abuses while attempting to physically assault him.

Speaking to reporters outside the police station, Ansari said the property had been purchased through years of savings, but he was now being denied the right to build on his own land. In his complaint, he also said that the councillor was mobilising groups of people to spoil the atmosphere in the area. He further said that Munjal told him to file a police report, boasting that “the police cannot do anything to me.”

The incident has triggered concerns over communal tensions in the locality. The family has urged authorities to conduct a fair investigation and ensure protection of their constitutional and property rights.