A significant land dispute is unfolding in Sihada village, Khandwa district, Madhya Pradesh, as the Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board Tribunal asserts its claim over the entire village. The tribunal has formally issued notices to the District Collector, the village Sarpanch, and the Panchayat Secretary, asserting that the village, home to approximately 10,000 residents, is Waqf property. These officials are summoned to appear before the Tribunal in Bhopal on November 10 to address the escalating conflict. The controversy ignited when the local Gram Panchayat issued a notice to a Dargah committee, alleging the Dargah structure was built on government land slated for a new Panchayat complex. The Dargah committee subsequently approached the Waqf Board, which countered that the land is indeed registered under the Waqf Board, not government control. The Dargah committee’s treasurer highlighted that official records from August 25, 1989, published in the state gazette under serial number 331, designate the land as Waqf property. He further emphasized the historical significance of the site, which houses an Imam Bargah, Dargah, and graveyard for nearly three centuries, invalidating any Panchayat right to alter or demolish existing structures. Village officials, including Sarpanch Kokilabai and Panchayat Secretary Devaraj Singh Sisodia, have received tribunal notices. A representative for the Sarpanch refuted the Waqf Board’s assertion, stating the land is government property and houses numerous private residences, temples, and public facilities. Concerns have been raised that validating the Waqf claim could jeopardize the homes of many villagers. The Madhya Pradesh State Waqf Tribunal will hear evidence from both parties on November 10.
