Amidst the ongoing Jama Masjid-Harihar Temple dispute in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal, a shocking revelation has been made about the Waqf Board’s land claims in the city. It has been reported that the Waqf Board has apparently laid claim on more than the entire city of Sambhal. 20 Waqf properties are being reported in Sambhal city. While the city’s total area is just 5 square kilometres, Waqf Board’s properties were found to be in more than 7 square kilometres.
Dainik Bhaskar reported that the shocking details emerged after District Magistrate Rajendra Pensia ordered an inspection of the relevant documents. Following this, a complaint has been lodged for making forged documents. The DM has also ordered an investigation into the matter. Meanwhile, Sambhal Police has registered an FIR based on the complaint lodged.
On 31st December 2024, a delegation of the Samajwadi Party led by Leader of Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey went to Sambhal. The delegation provided the documents of Waqf property to DM Rajendra Pensia. It was claimed in these documents that the land on which the police post is being constructed in front of Jama Masjid belongs to Waqf. In addition to this, there are 20 Waqf properties in Sambhal city.
According to these documents, the area of Sambhal police station, district hospital, tehsil, municipality, and post office also comes under the Waqf property area. Even the ancient Kalki temple which is mentioned in the Hindu scriptures is also a part of the Waqf as per these submitted documents.
Notably, Sambhal Police Station’s construction year is documented as 1905. In the papers, that land is shown to have been given to the Waqf in 1929. Not only this, the Satyavrat Police Chowki which is being built in front of Jama Masjid, has also been declared as Waqf property by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi, Dainik Bhaskar reported.
संभल की जामा मस्जिद के पास जो पुलिस चौकी बनाई जा रही है, वह वक्फ की जमीन पर है, जैसा कि रिकॉर्ड में दर्ज है। इसके अलावा, प्राचीन स्मारक अधिनियम के तहत संरक्षित स्मारकों के पास निर्माण कार्य प्रतिबंधित है। @narendramodi और @myogiadityanath संभल में खतरनाक माहौल बनाने के…
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) December 31, 2024
Meanwhile, DM Rajendra Pensia has outrightly refuted the claims made by the Waqf Board and said that if the Waqf Board’s claims are factual, the person who gave the land to Waqf should come forward. DM Pensia said that he formed a 3-member committee and got the Waqf documents investigated. The committee comprised SDM, CO and Nagar Palika EO. The investigation revealed that Waqfnama was not registered.
“To date, no one has ownership rights on this land. It is written in the Waqfnama that Abdul Samad has given this property for building a madrasa. But it is not written anywhere where this madrasa will be built,” the DM said adding that there is no information about Abdul Samad or his heirs and that if the documents are correct Abdul Samad or his heirs should come to the administration with original documents.
Speaking about why the Waqfnama of the said properties is fake, DM Pensia said “A total of 20 properties have been shown in the Waqfnama, their boundaries (boundary walls) are not in that map. It is only mentioned that there is Waqf land in all four directions one kilometre from the mid-center. But, it is not told which is the mid-center. How will it be clear from this which is the Waqf land and till where is its boundary? The city of Sambhal is spread over a total area of 5 square kilometres, whereas the area of these 20 properties alone is more than that. This seems impossible.”
