Authorities in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) have demolished the houses of some Muslims who were allegedly linked to religious protests that turned violent. The protests were sparked by derogatory remarks made by two former leaders of the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) about the Prophet Muhammad. The demonstrations turned violent in some states as people damaged property. More than 300 people were arrested in UP.n Local authorities demolished three Muslim-owned houses over the weekend, alleging that they had been illegally constructed – a claim denied by some of the owners. The demolitions triggered condemnation from opposition leaders, who accused the state government – headed by chief minister Yogi Adityanath – of targeting the minority Muslim community.(BBC)…[+]