UP Waqf Board claims ownership of 115-year-old Varanasi college

Established in 1909 by Rajarshi Udai Pratap Singh Ju Deo, Udai Pratap College is one of the oldest educational institutions in the holy city of Varanasi

A fresh controversy has erupted in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi after the state Waqf Board reportedly claimed the ownership of the historic 115-year-old Udai Pratap (UP) college. The claim, which was first made in 2018, has come up again amid the ongoing discussion on the Waqf Amendment Bill.

The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board has asserted that the college land, spanning over 100 acres, qualifies as Waqf property linked to a historical mosque within the campus, India Today reported. However, the college administration has categorically denied the Waqf Board’s claims, stating that the land belongs to a charitable endowment and cannot be transferred or sold.

Established in 1909 by Rajarshi Udai Pratap Singh Ju Deo, Udai Pratap College is one of the oldest educational institutions in the holy city of Varanasi.

In December 2018, the Waqf Board issued a formal notice to the college, asserting that the Choti Masjid and its surrounding property were originally endowed to the Waqf by the Nawab of Tonk, and consequently, should be placed under the board's administrative control.

Responding to the notice at that time, the college authorities had reportedly said that Udai Pratap College was established in 1909 under the Charitable Endowment Act, and denied the Waqf Board’s claims.

Reports reveal that in 2022, the Waqf Board even tried to carry out construction work at the Choti Masjid on the college premises. However, that was stopped after college authorities filed a complaint, leading to intervention by local police.