A significant land ownership battle has erupted in Sihada village, Madhya Pradesh, following a bold claim by the Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board Tribunal. The tribunal has issued official notices to the District Collector, village Sarpanch, and Panchayat Secretary, asserting that the entire village, populated by around 10,000 people, is designated Waqf property. All summoned officials must present themselves before the Tribunal in Bhopal on November 10. The roots of this controversy lie in the Gram Panchayat’s earlier notice to a Dargah committee, identifying the Dargah as an encroachment on government land intended for a new Panchayat building. The Dargah committee, in turn, appealed to the Waqf Board, which subsequently declared the land as registered Waqf property. A treasurer for the Dargah committee affirmed that official state gazette records from August 25, 1989, confirm the land’s Waqf status. He stressed that the ancient site, comprising an Imam Bargah, Dargah, and graveyard, has a history spanning three centuries, thereby precluding any Panchayat interference. Representatives for the Sarpanch and Panchayat Secretary have vociferously denied the Waqf Board’s claim, asserting the land’s government ownership and highlighting the presence of numerous homes, temples, and public facilities. Concerns are mounting that if the Waqf Board’s claim prevails, many residents could face displacement. The State Waqf Tribunal of Madhya Pradesh will now adjudicate the matter, with evidence to be presented on November 10.
