Varanasi (PTI): Varanasi's Udai Pratap College is in controversy with the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board claiming that a mosque on the campus and the land in its vicinity is a Waqf property, a charge rejected by the college administration.

A notice was sent to Udai Pratap College in 2018, claiming that the mosque on the campus and the land of the college were donated to the Waqf Board by the Nawab of Tonk. Therefore, the college campus is the property of the Waqf, said Principal DK Singh.

"The notice came from Varanasi resident Wasim Ahmed Khan. At that time, the then secretary of the college had responded to the notice. In response to the notice, it was said that the mosque was built illegally, while the property of the college belongs to the trust, it can neither be bought nor sold," he added.

Singh also said that the Waqf Board tried to construct a mosque later in 2022. The police stopped it after the college administration complained.

The principal alleged that the mosque was stealing the college's electricity and using it illegally.

Meanwhile, DCP, Varuna zone, CK Meena, said the matter dates back to 2022 when the construction work in the mosque was stopped on the college administration's complaint.

Manaur Rahman, who has been a regular visitor to the mosque, said that the Waqf Board had claimed the mosque and a few acres of land in front of it.

This mosque is the property of Nawab of Tonk and is from his time. The college administration had given us the electricity connection by mutual agreement between the college and the mosque administration. The administration cut off its electricity a few days ago, said Rahman.

"We also have the documents related to electricity (supply) before this. There is no dispute here but a dispute is being created unnecessarily. We have been offering namaz here for a long time," he added.

Udai Pratap Autonomous College was conceptualized and created by Rajarshi Udai Pratap Singh Judeo to promote education to enrich the society with the value system of this region.

The beginning was made when Judeo founded Hewett Kshatriya High School in Varanasi in 1909 which was raised to the level of an Intermediate College in 1921 and was rechristened Udai Pratap Intermediate College, Varanasi.

The institution was further elevated to the level of a degree college in 1949, when it commenced undergraduate classes in Arts and Commerce.

Recently, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had addressed the 115th foundation day celebrations of the college.