India: Nearly 80% of waqf properties in UP on government land; govt claims several historic buildings

A recent survey conducted by India’s Uttar Pradesh government has revealed that approximately 78% of waqf properties in the state are situated on government land, Muslim Mirror reported. This finding comes in light of the ongoing discussions surrounding the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, which threatens the waqf status of numerous properties categorized as waqf-by-user.

The survey identified around 114,624 Sunni and Shia endowments at risk, with 4624 properties under the Shia Waqf Board and about 110,000 properties under the Sunni Waqf Board. The report indicates that 14,000 hectares of land in Uttar Pradesh is claimed as waqf, while 11,700 hectares is identified as government land, constituting over 70% of the total.

Notably, the government has excluded several significant historical sites, including Lucknow’s Chota Imambara and Biga Imambara, from being classified as waqf properties. The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has been actively engaging with Muslim representatives to gather feedback on the amendment bill, with a final report expected by January 31.

This survey marks a pivotal moment in the management and classification of waqf properties in the state, raising concerns among community leaders regarding the potential implications of the proposed legislative changes.