– Issued notice to Sarpanch-Secretary and summoned him

Khandva . A big dispute has arisen regarding land in Sihada village of Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh. The Waqf Board Tribunal has issued a notice to the Collector, Sarpanch and Secretary and summoned them to Bhopal today (10 November), declaring the entire village with a population of 10 thousand as its property.

In fact, Sihada Gram Panchayat had issued a notice to remove the Dargah terming it as encroachment for the construction of a government complex. The Sarpanch of the village says that the Dargah is built on Panchayat land and is under encroachment. After this action, the Dargah Committee directly reached the Waqf Board and the Board claimed that the entire land is Waqf property.

Dargah Committee Treasurer Sheikh Shafi has written in his complaint that the entire land is Waqf property, which was published in the Gazette of 25 August 1989. This land is said to be about 300 years old and is registered at serial number 331 in the Waqf Board, Bhopal. Imambara, Dargah and graveyard are registered here, hence the Panchayat cannot take any action here.

Village Sarpanch Kokilabai and Secretary Devraj Singh Sisodia have received notice from the Waqf Board Tribunal. The tribunal has ordered him to appear on November 10, declaring the entire village land to be Waqf property. Sarpanch representative Hemant Chauhan said that this land is completely government, houses and temples have also been built here. The claim of Waqf Board is fabricated and false. Till now he has not given any authentic documents. He warned that if such claims were accepted, the people of the entire village would become homeless.

District Waqf Board Committee Secretary Riyaz Khan has termed the allegations of the Sarpanch side as wrong. He has said that we have not claimed the land of the entire village, but have claimed 39 thousand square feet of land. The Gram Panchayat wants to build shops on this land, hence an encroachment notice was sent. Sarpanch representatives are misleading the people.

In this matter, villagers and public representatives say that this dispute has created a situation of tension and confusion in the village. They want the state government and administration to immediately intervene and clarify the situation, so that people are free from the fear of homelessness.