Waqf Board Claims Entire MP Village; Panchayat Contests

In a startling development in Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa district, the Waqf Board Tribunal has laid claim to an entire village, Sihada, sparking a major land dispute. Notices have been dispatched to key local officials, including the District Collector, Sarpanch, and Panchayat Secretary, summoning them to a hearing in Bhopal on November 10. The tribunal’s assertion is that the village, with its roughly 10,000 inhabitants, constitutes Waqf property. The dispute reportedly originated when the Gram Panchayat informed a local Dargah committee that their structure occupied government land designated for a new community complex. In response, the Dargah committee presented their case to the Waqf Board, which then asserted ownership based on existing registrations. According to a Dargah committee official, state gazette records from August 25, 1989, explicitly list the land as Waqf property. He detailed that the site, containing an Imam Bargah, Dargah, and graveyard, has been in existence for approximately 300 years, negating any Panchayat authority over it. Local leadership, represented by the Sarpanch and Panchayat Secretary, has challenged the Waqf Board’s claim. They argue the land is government-owned and hosts a mix of private homes, religious structures, and public amenities. The potential impact of this Waqf claim is significant, with fears that many villagers could lose their homes. The Madhya Pradesh State Waqf Tribunal is set to examine the evidence presented by both sides on the upcoming November 10 date.