Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accusing the Waqf Board of making illegitimate land claims and vowing strict action.
Lucknow: The contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025, which was passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday and later introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, has sparked a major political and social debate across the country. Amid this escalating controversy, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has strongly criticized the Waqf Board, accusing it of making illegitimate claims over public lands in various parts of the state.
Speaking at an event in Prayagraj on Thursday, Adityanath took an aggressive stance against the alleged land encroachments by the Waqf Board, asserting that such “wild claims” would no longer be “tolerated.”
“The Waqf Board has been making baseless claims over lands in multiple cities. During the Maha Kumbh, they even asserted that the land on which the festival was being held belonged to them. This forced us to question whether the Waqf Board had turned into a land mafia,”
the chief minister said.
Asserting his government’s commitment to reclaiming public and historically significant lands, Adityanath announced that the Uttar Pradesh government has instructed all district magistrates to submit reports on public properties that the Waqf Board has allegedly claimed illegally.
Encroachment Allegations and Government Action
The UP government has been conducting state-wide operations to clear encroachments on government lands, and Adityanath emphasized that this drive would continue, especially where Waqf claims have been questionable or disputed.
He specifically referenced the sacred land associated with Nishadraj, the legendary king of the Nishads (a community of boatmen), whose capital Shringverpura is located in Prayagraj district.
“Even this land was encroached upon under the name of Waqf property. But such acts will not be allowed to continue,”
he declared.
Tensions Rise: BJP Ally Threatens Mosque Removal
The controversy has also intensified with strong remarks from UP minister Sanjay Nishad, who is also the president of the Nishad Party, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Just days before Adityanath’s statement, Sanjay Nishad issued a public warning regarding a mosque located near the Nishadraj Fort in Shringverpur, stating that it should be removed voluntarily—or else his community would take matters into their own hands.
“I appeal to the Muslim community to remove the mosque. If the Nishads get angry, they will remove it by force,”
Nishad said, escalating tensions further.
ALSO READ: LEGAL EXPLAINER| Waqf & The Waqf Amendment Bill 2024: Key Legal Changes & Impact
Growing Political and Religious Debate Over Waqf Properties
The accusations of illegal encroachment by the Waqf Board come at a time when the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 has already become a highly contentious issue, with various political parties, religious groups, and legal experts debating its implications.
While the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh is positioning itself as a protector of public and historical lands, opposition leaders and Waqf Board officials have strongly refuted these allegations, arguing that the Board has a legitimate legal standing in land matters.
As tensions continue to rise, it remains to be seen how this conflict between the state government, the Waqf Board, and religious communities will unfold in the coming weeks.
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