Recently, there was a major commotion at Udai Pratap College in Varanasi. Students tried to recite the Hanuman Chalisa at a mosque located on campus, leading to tense conditions. The police detained several students. This entire controversy stemmed from a letter by the Central Sunni Waqf Board, which sought information about the shrine from the college. However, the Waqf Board has now relinquished its claim on the college's property.
The Waqf Board had written a letter in 2018 regarding the mosque built within the college campus, seeking information. However, this issue was resolved by 2021. The Waqf Board has retracted its claim over the college's property. The whole uproar started because the 2018 letter resurfaced.
On the 115th foundation day of UP College, on November 25, 2018, a letter from the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board emerged, claiming ownership of the campus land. The letter stated that the property of the Nawab Tok shrines and Hazrat Bhajupeer shrine is under the college's control. It was requested to be registered with the Sunni Board office.
Source: aajtak
Varanasi: Waqf Board Relinquishes Claim on Udai Pratap College Property, Students Stirred Day Prior
Trust Holds Rights Over All College Campus Constructions
The then secretary of Udai Pratap Education Committee, UN Sinha, responded that UP College was established in 1909. The college land belongs to the Endowment Trust. Under the Charitable Endowment Act, the rights of ownership over trust property cease to exist for any other party. Therefore, the mosque or shrine may not have a standing.
Once a Shrine, Now a Mosque
The principal of Udai Pratap College had stated that a shrine existed here some years ago, which became a mosque, but neither the revenue records nor documents mention it. The college property is personal to the trust. The 2018 matter had already been annulled through correspondence, yet the controversy lingers.
Source: aajtak
What Did the Sunni Board's Chairman Say?
According to Zafar Farooqui, Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board, a letter was written by Anjuman Intezamia Masajid requesting the registration of the mosque at UP College Banaras into the Sunni Waqf Board. When a letter was sent to UP College, it was discovered that the mosque is within the college premises and is college property, thus it cannot be registered. As the land belongs to the college, we dismissed the request and issued a letter to that effect.
Chairman Remarks on Old Letter Being Circulated
According to the Sunni Waqf Board Chairman, the information sought in 2018 was resolved at that time, and it serves no purpose now. An old letter is being circulated suggesting the mosque registration with the Sunni Waqf Board was requested, which is incorrect. After the recent dispute, we issued a new letter clarifying that the Sunni Waqf Board has no connection or claims.
