Waqf Board continues to show the nation why its needs amendment. In a fresh controversy at Varanasi, the Sunni Waqf Board has laid claim to the prestigious 115-year-old Udai Pratap College.
The institution, a charitable trust established in 1909, now faces the prospect of its land being declared Waqf property.
This move is part of a larger movement by the Waqf Board to grab land throughout the nation. Today, the Waqf Board is empowered by the draconian amendments of Sonia Gandhi’s UPA regime. Its unchecked powers, drawn from legal frameworks favoring its autonomy, have turned it into a quasi-land-grabbing mafia. The urgent need to pass the Waqf Amendment Act 2024 cannot be overstated. Let’s unlock!
Varanasi’s Udai Pratap College Targeted By Waqf Board
Watch: Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board claimed UP College's land in Varanasi as Waqf property in 2018, issuing a notice.
The college administration responded, asserting the land belongs to an Endowment Trust. The college spans over 100 acres. pic.twitter.com/0soSmFEDen
— IANS (@ians_india) November 27, 2024
The Sunni Waqf Board claims ownership of Udai Pratap College‘s 100-acre land. They cite the presence of a mosque, Choti Masjid, as an allegedly endowed Waqf property. The college administration has vehemently denied this claim, emphasizing its 115-year-old trust status under the Charitable Endowment Act. The mazar was a small mound that was illegally converted into a mosque.
Part-2
Waqf Board has now staked claim on famous 100 acre Varanasi college with 17000 students.. Claim on 115 year old Uday Pratap College.. CM Yogi has recently announced to uplift it as a University. Now Waqf is Claiming it A dargah converted to Masjid!.#Waqf#WaqfBoard pic.twitter.com/DKlNd3JUYB
— Jitendra Maurya (@Jitu12x) November 28, 2024
Despite rejecting the Waqf Board’s notice in 2018, sporadic attempts were made to encroach upon the campus land, including illegal construction efforts halted by the police in 2022.
Waqf Board staked claim on 115 year old Uday Pratap college in Varanasi
This is total madness..needs to stop pic.twitter.com/EpsZ1I3kXa
— Harsh Maurya (@HarshMaury88727) November 28, 2024
Udai Pratap College spans over 100 acres and its institute provides education to over 17,000 students. It is a hub for education in Varanasi, with its premises hosting multiple institutions. The Yogi government is speculating to grant University Status to the College. Hence, the College, students, and the public are strongly opposed to the Waqf Board’s claim, deeming it absurd.
#BREAKING: #WaqfBoard Stakes Claim on Varanasi's Uday Pratap College
Lucknow Waqf Board has claimed ownership of the 115-year-old Uday Pratap College in Varanasi, a significant educational institution with over 17,000 students.
This claim comes at a time when Chief Minister… pic.twitter.com/5hH7veeiVX
— Thus Explained (@thusexplained) November 28, 2024
Waqf Board: An Expanding Land Mafia – A National Problem
Real worry for Illegal Encroachers like Waqf Board!
Owaisi admits- 1.21 lakh Waqf properties in UP alone of which 1.12 lakh properties don't have any documents!
Imagine total such properties in whole Bharat which'll be taken back in single stroke with Waqf Board Amendment Bill! pic.twitter.com/UMpKbp3NNX
— BhikuMhatre (@MumbaichaDon) September 21, 2024
The Varanasi case is just the tip of the iceberg. Across India, the Shia and Sunni Waqf Board has wielded its power to claim properties using the Waqf Act. The aggressive amendments in 1995 and 2013 granted the Board immeasurable powers under the CONgress rule.
Following are few examples of Land Mafia actions in the name of “Waqf”:
- In Karnataka, the Waqf Board was trying to displace farmers by claiming their land. The INC was silent and BJP leaders’ protest finally had the Waqf Board withdrawing its claims. However, will the Waqf Board never try to state a claim again in these farm lands?
- In 2022 Tamil Nadu, 7 villages in Tiruchirappalli along with its 1500-year-old temple were under attack by the Waqf Board. The protests from residents and leaders had the Board running for cover to take back its claim. But for how long?!
- In Telangana, the Waqf Board is claiming 55,000 acres of its land is under encroachment. Some of this litigated land belongs to villagers and the government’s Shamshabad airport. The cases for the same are under judicial purview.
- In Madhya Pradesh, the HC had to set aside the Waqf Board claim on Burhanpur ASI monuments. Currently, the Christian cemetery in Dewas is also under claim by the Waqf. The case is under purview!
- In Delhi, the Congress-led UPA granted 123 properties to Waqf before exiting power. The central government set aside the Waqf Claim on these properties in 2023. Currently, over 240 properties are under claim by the Waqf Board in Delhi.
Recently, a BJP MP had to request the Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh governments to stop considering any Waqf claims on land protected for the tribals of Bharat. These incidents reveal a systematic pattern: leveraging loosely defined “Waqf” clauses to seize land. The amendments introduced under the UPA government made contesting such claims nearly impossible to be contested in regular courts!
Waqf Amendment Act 2024: The Need of the Hour
The Modi 3.0’s Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 seeks to restore balance to Bharat’s land disputes. The bill aims to:
- Limit the Waqf Board’s autonomy in declaring properties as Waqf without consultation.
- Introduce transparency and accountability in Waqf property management.
- Empower states to review and challenge dubious claims.
- Protect public and private trust lands from arbitrary Waqf encroachment.
This legislation is crucial to defang the unchecked power of the Waqf Board, preventing it from functioning as a land-grabbing mafia. It will ensure rightful ownership of properties and protect institutions like Udai Pratap College from unwarranted harassment.
The Sunni Waqf Board’s claim on Udai Pratap College highlights a deeper issue: the unchecked expansion of Waqf properties.
With its current legal backing, the Waqf Board holds disproportionate power over vast swathes of land. Hence, the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 is not just a necessary step to control the power of the Waqf Board. Instead, it is an imperative bill that aims to safeguard the nation’s educational, cultural, and private properties. It’s time to bring accountability to the shadow empire of Waqf. However, will the RaGa + Pinki Di led opposition let their core support be disarmed by this Bill this easily? Of course not! Hence, Bharat should tighten its seat belt for a turbulent ride in the name of Waqf Amendment Bill 2024!