Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on January 7 criticised the anti-encroachment drive carried out near the Faiz-e-Elahi mosque at Turkman Gate in Delhi, terming it a grim reminder of the horrors of the Emergency period.

Referring to the events that unfolded on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, Vijayan said uprooting people in the dead of night could not be described as justice. He alleged that the action reflected the execution of what he described as the divisive ideology of the Sangh Parivar by the BJP-led government.

Violence was reported during the drive after a social media post claimed that the mosque opposite Turkman Gate was being demolished, prompting people to gather at the site. Stones were allegedly pelted at police personnel as tensions escalated in the area.

In a post on social media platform X, the chief minister said that what he described as “bulldozer raj” targeting minorities and marginalised communities must be resisted by all secular and democratic forces. He warned against allowing what he called one of history’s darkest chapters to repeat.

The Delhi Police have stated that the operation was part of an anti-encroachment exercise, while authorities continue to assess the situation following the violence. Statement issued on January 7, 2026, following the anti-encroachment drive conducted on the intervening night of January 6–7, 2026.