Mumbai Waqf boards of many states in the country are continuously claiming the lands of common people. The latest case is from Maharashtra. Waqf Board has issued notice to 103 farmers in Latur district of Maharashtra. This has given rise to controversy. Maharashtra Waqf Board is claiming 300 acres of land of these farmers as its own. This matter has been heard in the court twice. The next hearing is to be held on December 20. Farmers who have received notice from Waqf Board in Latur are expressing surprise. These farmers told news agency PTI that they had inherited this land from their ancestors. They have been farming on these lands for many generations. These farmers have alleged that the Maharashtra Waqf Board is trying to grab their lands.
Waqf had claimed the entire village of Tamil Nadu as its own.
A few days ago, news came from Tamil Nadu that the Waqf Board there had claimed an entire village as its own. There is also a temple about 1400 years old in the village which was claimed by the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board. At the same time, in Bihar also, the Waqf Board put up boards in an entire village stating that the land there belonged to it. In Surat, the Waqf Board had laid claim to the Municipal Corporation building itself. A similar incident had happened in Karnataka recently. There too, the Waqf Board had claimed the farmers’ land. Similar claims have been made by Waqf Boards on the lands of common people in UP and other states also. Due to which many controversies have arisen. For this reason, the Modi government had also brought the Waqf Act Amendment Bill in the Parliament. Which is currently being discussed in the JPC. PM Narendra Modi himself has said that the Waqf Act is unconstitutional.
After Railways and Army, Waqf Boards own the most land in the country. According to statistics, Waqf boards across the country have around 900,000 acres of land. Waqf is a matter of donating land in the Islamic manner. Waqf is derived from the word Auqaf. People donate land to Waqf for public welfare. The Waqf Act was amended during the UPA government of Congress. After this amendment, Waqf Boards got the right that the land on which they claim can be heard only in the Waqf Tribunal. However, many High Courts have said that under the Constitution there can be no institution bigger than the courts of the country. In such a situation, the courts have the right to hear the cases of Waqf Boards.
