Waqf Board in Maharashtra is again in the news for its actions of land grabbing. Reports state that on 25th May 2024, a village named Wadanage in Kolhapur, Maharashtra became its latest victim. The villagers launched a bandh to protest against the claim laid by the Waqf Board around its Mahadev Temple. The villagers, supported by several Hindu organizations, submitted a statement to Collector Amol Yedge. Moreover, they accuse the Gram Panchayat of failing to defend their case effectively in the ongoing hearings. Let’s unbox this tale of Waqf land grabbing!
Villagers Protest Against Waqf Board
BREAKING: Massive outrage in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, after Waqf board seized a land near a Mahadev Mandir and shops in Wadanage village.
Villagers protested and observed a one-day strike in opposition.
District collector assures Hindu community justice will be served.
According… pic.twitter.com/hh48wnjALr
— Treeni (@TheTreeni) May 26, 2024
The local villagers voice the community’s frustration against the claim made by the Waqf Board. Reports state that ‘Agricultural Survey No. 89’ at Wadanage belongs to the Gram Panchayat. However, the Waqf Board had placed a claim to this land 25 years ago. Since then, the case has been under legal consideration.
Unfortunately, the Gram Panchayat administration was unable to present its side effectively.
Consequently, the land around Mahadev Temple has been transferred to the Waqf Board.
The village bandh is the outpouring of the common Hindus’ anger at the decision. They suspect that the Gram Panchayat administration lined its pocket to obscure the claim and allow the Waqf Board to win.
Social media reports allege that the temple committee initially allotted shops to Muslim traders around the temple a few years ago during an auction process. Despite the warnings of the local Hindus, the committee ignored their objection under the guise of secularism. The locals feel that this allotment of shops has led to the loss of the temple land!
Waqf Board: A System of Permanent Land Grabbing
Once a Waqf, Alway a Waqf
The word Waqf literally means to detain or confine. Thus, in terms of property, it means to continue the use of the property for religious or charitable purposes under Islamic law. The dogmatic and orthodox ‘peacefuls’ believe that once a land is declared Waqf, it shall remain so forever. Why? Because its ownership is forever transferred to Allah.
Under the Congress regime, The Waqf Act of 1995 gained the legal right to grab land by a simple submission of declaration.
The draconian law allows the Waqf Board extensive powers. The Lal Kila to the land on which the Supreme Court of India stands are all claimed by the local Waqf Boards. The funny part is that the onus of proving ownership lies with those who contest against the Waqf Board’s claim. And the decision will be passed through its Tribunals whose word seems above those of civil courts.
Unfortunately, this Act allows the Waqf Board to claim and retain properties permanently. Thus, it has created a draconian system where land, once seized, cannot be reclaimed. From entire villages to temples, the Act has allowed the Waqf Board to gain importance through indiscriminate land grabbing. Hindus are left to fight cases and prove ownership while holding legal papers after the Waqf Board lays claim. And a similar thing has happened with the land around the Mahadev Temple in Kolhapur.
A Call for Justice
The Waqf Board’s actions in Wadanage highlight its true intentions. The land around the temple was taken away for its probable economic value. Soon all Hindu shops around the temple will disappear and the Sanatanis who will come to pray will have to buy ‘HALAL’ puja samgri!!! The temple bells will be silenced for Azaan. And the worshipers as well as the pujari may face harassment from the local ‘peacefuls’.
However, the local Hindus case was lost due to improper documentation or representation.
This shows a troubling pattern where fellow Gramvasi chose personal profit or community benefit. Therefore, as the villagers protest against the injustice, we hope that CM Eknath Shinde and the BJP will hear their cry for justice. Hopefully, the government will be able to intervene against a decision that seems skewed in favor of the local Waqf Board. May the rightful ownership of the land be restored.
Consequently, in this election cycle Bharat votes in the hope that laws, such as the Waqf Act, are addressed. May the grievances of Sanatnis be heard in the land of their forefathers! Moreover, let Hindus no longer be a second-class citizen in a land where the law and constitution work against their existence!!