A fresh controversy has erupted in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, after the Uttar Pradesh Central Sunni Waqf Board renewed its claim of ownership over the 115-year-old Udai Pratap College, triggering a heated dispute. The Waqf Board’s claim, first made in 2018, has resurfaced amid ongoing discussions surrounding the Waqf Amendment Bill.
The Uttar Pradesh Waqf Board has asserted that the college’s sprawling land, covering over 100 acres, is Waqf property, linked to a historical mosque within the college premises. The board contends that the land was endowed to Waqf by the Nawab of Tonk and should therefore fall under its jurisdiction. However, the administration of Udai Pratap College, which has over 17,000 students, has strongly refuted these claims, maintaining that the land is part of a charitable endowment and cannot be transferred or sold.
The issue first surfaced in December 2018 when the Waqf Board sent a notice to the college, asserting its ownership of the land and the Choti Masjid within the campus. The college’s management responded by highlighting that the institution was established in 1909 under the Charitable Endowment Act and rejected the Waqf Board’s claims to the property. The authorities also pointed out that the college’s land had been designated for educational purposes and should remain under its control.
After their response, the college administration reported no further actions from the Waqf Board for several years. However, in 2022, an attempt was made by the Waqf Board to carry out construction activities at the Choti Masjid. This move was halted by the police after a formal complaint from the college. The principal of Udai Pratap College, DK Singh, also accused the Waqf Board of illegally cutting off the college’s electricity supply to the shrine, claiming the power was being “stolen” from the college.
The initial notice from the Waqf Board was sent by Wasim Ahmed Khan, a Varanasi resident who passed away in 2022. Although there were no further efforts from the Waqf Board until now, the matter has come back into the spotlight with the upcoming presentation of the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha. The resurfacing of this issue has raised concerns among college authorities and local residents, with both parties standing firm on their respective positions regarding the ownership of the property.
