By Zaidul Haque, Twocircles.net
Kolkata: Against 2555 Bigha’s land, government only paid monthly Rs. 159 and that too until 1999. After the death of Mutawalli Maulana Abul Barkat at the age of 99, his son & heir Abu Nayeem Siddique has not been paid a single rupee by the govt. for the use of his land. Ali Vardi Khan, Nawab of Bengal, Bihar, & Orissa gifted 2555 bigha of land to the Mutawallis Maulana Amsuddin and Maulana Masiuddin Saheb, for the maintenance of Sitapur Madrasa, Mosque & support of the Mutawalli’s family etc.
That land is now occupied by many government prime properties like Governor House (Raj Bhawan), Fort Willams, Maidan and adjoining areas. Sitapur Madrasa of Hooghly district is the oldest madrasa in existence since Nawab Ali Vardi Khan’s period. Lack of money means that Sitapur Madrasa is being neglected. The main madrasa building and hostel building and mosque are in need of renovation. The condition of buildings is keeping the present mutawalli anxious about the future.
Abu Nayeem Siddiqui with the 40 feet long deed of land gifted to him by Nawab Ali Vardi Khan.
Abu Nayeem Siddiqui proudly informs that his ancestors were the `real owners’ of the land of Fort Willams, Raj Bhawan, Akash Bani Bhawan, Maidan (including Eden Gardens, Mohammedan Sporting Club, East Bengal Club, Mohan Bagan Club stadium). What he is not sure about is when government will accept his claim of ownership and compensate him adequately for using his land.
But this injustice has continued from the days of Warren Hastings to Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Narsimha Rao, APJ Abdul Kalam, Jyoti Basu to Gopalkrishna Gandhi.
Sitapur Endowment & Madrasa : 2555 Bigha land leased to East india Company, since 1772 for Rs 158 per month!
Heir of Maulana Masiuddin, who was endowed the original land, Abu Naim Siddiqui, the present Mutawlli of the Sitapore Madrasa Waqf (endowment) says that not only 2555 bighas but about 15000 bigha land was gifted to his ancestor by Nawab Ali Vardi Khans by a land deed that is over 40 feet long.
Because of a dispute with Raja Tej Chand of Burdwan regarding the possession of the land, the Mutawalli of Sitapore Madrasa decided to hand over the land to the East India Company on a lease. In 1772 Mutawalli made over the land to the British Government, Governor Cartier fixed a daily allowance of Rs. 4 and 8 annas to him and to be given to his heirs forever. The original grant was raised by Warren Hastings in 1781 to Rs. 5 per day or Rs 152 per month. In 1913, the monthly allowance stood after a revision at Rs 158, 13 annas and 6 Paisa.
Persian deed of Nawab Ali Vardi khan’s period for Sitapur Madrasa & Masjid.
Before he died Mutawalli Mohammad Abul Barkat, father of the present Mutawalli Abu Naim Siddiqui used to get Rs 159/- per month regularly against the lease of 2555 bigha of land. But now even that has stopped.
Present Mutawalli Abu Naim who is trying to get his right as a heir and mutawalli confirmed is asking, why only Rs. 159 per month against the 2255 bigha land? What is present valuation of this land? This land under the Sitapore Madrasa Endowment under the government of India is a Waqf property.
According to one estimate, the property now values over Rs 40000 crore. Abu Naim, owner of the property, himself lives in a small house in Kolkata. He earns his living by repairing air conditioners.
A document of Mutawalli of Sitapur endowment, 1858
Why did Sitapore Madrasa get 2555 bigha land from Nawab Ali Vardi Khan?
Nawab ali Vardi Khan gifted more than 15000 Bigha’s land to the Abu Naim’s ancestor Maulana Amsuddin and Maulana Masiuddin. Abu Naim told TwoCircles.net that he heard from his grandfather & father the story behind the land endowement. He said, `One day nawab Ali vardi Khan was traveling in Sitapur area on a hunting expedition. Nawab sahib encountered a maulana and his family living in the jungle. Nawab invited the Maulana to come to Murshidabad and meet him. Nawab Ali Vardi Khan gifted 15000 Bigha land to him on the Hooghly, Howrah, 24 Parganas Areas. The deed in Persian has remained with the family. Among the 15000 bigha, mentioned 2555 bigha land for Sitapue Madrasa, Mosque and to maintain mutawalli’s family. Now this land is the prime property of Kolkata.
Government documents
Assistance director of Public Instructaion of Mohammedan Education, Bengal Mr J. A. Taylor who visited the Sitapore Madrasa along with District Magistrate of Hooghly Mr Prentice on 6th December, 1913. Taylor wrote an official note under the heading `Tour notes of the Assistant Director of Public Instruction for Muhammadan Education, Hooghly District, December 1913’. The report was `Memorandum of a visit to Sitapur Madrasa on the 6th December, 1913’. `I visted this institution on Saturday, the 6th December of 1913, with Mr Prentice, the District Magistrate of Hooghly. This Madrsah is the oldest madrasa in Bengal. It is an endowment madrasah which dates its existence from the time of Nawab Ali Vardi Khan, who originally made a gift of 2,555 bighas of land for the present mutawali thereon. Sometime afterwards a dispute arose with Raja Tej Chund of Burdwan regarding the possession of the land, and ultimately in 1772 the mutwali made over the land to Government. In consideration of this Governor Cartier gave a daily allowance of Rs. 4.8 to him and to his heirs for ever. The original grant was raised by Warren Hastings in 1781 to Rs. 5 per day or Rs. 152 per month. The madrasah has been kept up without interruption ever since. An attempt was made by the Government of Bengal in 1837 to put the madrasah under the control of the committee of Public Instruction and to this end the allowance was divided into two parts, one of which, namely, three-quarters of whole, was to be used for an educational institution at Sitapur and the remaining quarter was to be left under the control of the mutawali for the maintenance of the mosque.’
Pension book of Maulana Abul Barkat, Mutawalli Sitapur endowment. He died on 1999 when he was 99 years old.
Mr Taylor also wrote in the report that, “The committee of public Instruction determined to establish with the fund an English school at Sitapur absolutely independent to be the control of the family of the original grantees. Government by resolution dated 18th October 1839, a copy of which is appended to this memorandum, decided however that the grants originally made by Governors Cartier and Hastings should not be removed from the control and management of the mutawalis, and that the supervision of the Committee of Public Instruction must be confined to periodical visits of inspection to the madrasah. The resolution also states that the Sitapur Madrasah was to be regarded as a kind of preparatory school for Hooghly College, and for this purpose the mutawali was ordered to keep himself in close touch with the professors and managing directors of the Hooghly College, but the direct control and management of the institution and of the funds assigned by Cartier and Hastings were left entirely with family of the grantee and in particular with the individual of that family who became mutawali.”
Part 2 on past and present of the Sitapur Madrasa
http://twocircles.net/2012may04/sitapur_endowment_land_without_rent.html