The Take: Why are India’s mosques turning into temple disputes?
India’s courts are reopening mosque disputes despite laws meant to protect religious sites. What changed?
![A Muslim devotee walks past a mural as he leaves after offering Eid al-Fitr prayers, which marks the end of the Islamic holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Alamgir Mosque along the banks of the river Ganges in Varanasi on March 21, 2026. [Niharika Kulkarni / AFP]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AFP__20260321__A46T4ZH__v2__HighRes__TopshotIndiaReligionIslamEid-1779380363.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
From mosques to temples, old religious battles are back in India’s courts. A law passed after the Babri Masjid dispute was meant to stop exactly this. But new claims are moving forward again, as Hindu nationalism grows and many Muslims fear that the protections once promised to them are slipping away.
In this episode:
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Episode credits:
This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolome and Sari el-Khalili with Spencer Cline, Noor Wazwaz, Tuleen Barakat, and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Tamara Khandaker.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhemm. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.
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