Waqf board claims 53 ASI sites in Karnataka; ‘took over’ 43 in 2005: Report

Amid the trouble in Karnataka and Kerala over the Waqf board’s claim over villagers’ land as its property, it has now emerged that the board has also staked claim over at least 53 centrally protected historical monuments in Karnataka.

These protected monuments include the Bidar and Kalaburagi forts, the Gol Gumbaz, Ibrahim Rauza, and Bara Kaman in Vijayapura — sites which are supposed to be under the sole protection and maintenance of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Vijayapura (or Bijapur) is known for its architectural heritage from the time of the Sultanate of Bijapur or the Adil Shahi era (1490–1686).

Potential UNESCO site turned into madrasa

According to a report in the Deccan Herald, the Waqf board already declared 43 of the 53 said sites as its own way back in 2005. The result has been catastrophic for the historical sites, with several of them being encroached upon, defaced, and subject to unscientific renovations.

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A source in the ASI told Deccan Herald that the Mulla Mosque and Yakub Dabuli’s Mosque and tomb — fine specimens of Indo-Islamic architecture that had been proposed to be nominated for the UNESCO World Heritage Site list — have been converted into a madrasa. Waqf properties are meant for religious or charitable purposes under Islamic law.

Historical structures “repaired with plaster, cement”

The official told the newspaper that several of the 43 monuments claimed by the Waqf board have been defaced and “repaired with plaster and cement”. Even fans, air conditioners, fluorescent lights, and toilets have been added to the structures, while certain properties have been taken over by shopkeepers.

Since 2007, the central Ministry of Culture has repeatedly asked the Vijayapura deputy commissioner, Minorities Welfare Department, and Karnataka Chief Secretary to clear the encroachments, but nothing has been done because of the dispute over rights.

Dispute over ownership rights

Apparently, the Waqf board staked claim over the protected monuments based on Record of Rights (ROR) or PR cards (government certificate given to property owner). According to 2005 documents, it was apparently Health and Family Welfare Department (Medical Education) Principal Secretary Mohammad Mohsin who made the declaration as the then deputy commissioner and chairman of the Waqf board, Vijayapura.

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Mohsin told the Deccan Herald that everything was done according to the government gazette notification issued by the Revenue Department and authentic documents. However, ASI officials told the newspaper that even though a joint survey was conducted in 2012, the ASI has received no valid documents as evidence that these monuments belong to Waqf.

Waqf eyes more sites

The Waqf board has reportedly also claimed six monuments in Hampi circle and four in Bengaluru circle of the ASI, besides the Masjid-i-Ala in Srirangapatna.

All these structures are monuments of national importance as notified by the British government of 1914. The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites Remains (AMASR) Act and Rules of 1958 declare the ASI as the “sole owner” for maintaining, renovating, and conserving these properties. And once a structure is notified as ASI property, there is no provisions to de-notify it.