Pune: Demolition of 100-Year-Old Dargah in Bopodi Sparks Protests, Calls for Inquiry
Bopodi, 4th June 2026: The demolition of the nearly 100-year-old Hazrat Shamsuddin Qadri Dargah in Bopodi has triggered protests and political reactions, with social organizations and local public representatives questioning the manner in which the action was carried out.
The dargah, located along the Mumbai-Pune Highway in the Bopodi area, was demolished during a late-night operation conducted by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) with police deployment. The action has drawn criticism from the Miss Farha Charitable Foundation, which described the demolition as unfortunate and hurtful to the sentiments of devotees.
In a statement, the foundation said the dargah was not only a place of worship for the Muslim community but also a site visited by people from different faiths. It claimed that the shrine had long been regarded as a symbol of communal harmony and Pune’s Ganga-Jamuni culture.
The organization questioned the rationale behind the late-night demolition, alleging that the dargah was neither causing traffic congestion nor was any recent encroachment reported at the site. It also alleged that efforts to facilitate discussions among the dargah committee, local residents, elected representatives, and authorities had not been given due consideration.
Dr. Farha Anwar Hussain Shaikh, President of the Miss Farha Charitable Foundation, demanded a high-level, impartial and transparent inquiry into the demolition. The organization has sought disclosure of the reasons, approvals and procedures behind the action and called for accountability if any lapses are found.
Meanwhile, Pune Deputy Mayor Parshuram Wadekar said the dargah had long been viewed as a symbol of Hindu-Muslim brotherhood. He also alleged that local public representatives were not informed in advance about the demolition drive.
According to the foundation, attempts were made to contact Deputy Mayor Wadekar, as well as other corporators, who reportedly stated that they had no prior knowledge of the action and were not consulted before the operation.
On the other hand, Shivshankar Swami of the organization Saksham Hindu Samaj, who had earlier filed a complaint regarding the structure, supported the demolition. He stated that the dargah was not registered with the relevant government authority and was creating an obstruction to an ongoing road-widening project.
Authorities have not yet issued a detailed public statement responding to the allegations raised by the foundation and local representatives.
