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Yogi slams Waqf Board’s Mahakumbh land claim
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath rejects Waqf Board claims on Mahakumbh land, emphasizing its historical significance and warning against land ownership assertions.
Criticising the Waqf Board’s claim that the Mahakumbh-2025 was being organised on its land, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said “if someone now calls this land Waqf Board property, we must ask whether it belongs to the Waqf Board or land mafias”.
He underlined the need to curb such malicious tendencies, saying, “We will put an end to this. Kumbh has been held on this land in Prayagraj for thousands of years. It is unacceptable for anyone to undermine the faith of millions by claiming it is Waqf land.”
The CM was speaking at a conclave organised by a private news channel at Airavat Ghat in Mahakumbh mela area. He elaborated on recent amendments, requiring a thorough review of land records for any property claimed by the Waqf Board.
“If the term ‘Waqf’ appears, we examine the original ownership and take steps to reclaim the land. Public-use properties, lands of holy places associated with Hindu faith, or government-owned land will not be allowed to fall into the hands of any so-called land mafia boards,” the CM said.
He said the land of Kumbh would remain dedicated to its purpose, providing a sacred space for sadhus and other pilgrims during the event.
Yogi said many individuals whose ancestors embraced Islam under specific historical circumstances still take pride in India’s traditions. “They identify their gotras with the names of Indian sadhus, participate in festivals, and cherish their cultural roots. If such people come to take a holy dip in the Sangam out of tradition and devotion, they are most welcome,” he said.
However, he warned against anyone arriving to assert ownership over the land, stating, “Those who claim this land as theirs and seek to occupy it may face consequences, including corrective action.”
On the issue of the Jama Masjid in Sambhal, the CM pointed out discrepancies in claims regarding land ownership. “There are assertions that more land than the entire Sambhal district belongs to the Waqf Board, which is absurd. Our Puranas document that over 5,000 years ago, Sambhal was prophesied as the birthplace of Kalki, the tenth incarnation of Lord Vishnu,” he said.
“Everything in Sambhal today is rooted in Sanatan Dharma. Five thousand years ago, there was no Islam on this earth, so how could there be a mention of Jama Masjid in that era,” Yogi asked.
