Pavan Kumar Maurya, TwoCircles.net
Varanasi: The Nawab Tonk Mosque, located in Bhojubeer in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, is currently under police surveillance. The 1298 mosque, within the premises of Uday Pratap College, has been transformed into a police cantonment. Police personnel are stationed at various points of the campus, monitoring the movements of citizens and students. A police armored vehicle is parked a little inside the campus. Both doors of the mosque are locked. This has drawn strong objections from the Muslim community. Local Muslims, who wish to pray in the mosque, have termed this action as an “infringement” on their religious freedom.
The main gate of Nawab Tonk Mosque faces south, with two constables on duty, while a smaller gate in the east is also being guarded by a constable. In the name of maintaining peace, no one is allowed near the mosque. As tensions rose in the Bhojubeer area, shops outside the college remained closed for several days. The heavy police presence continues, and the situation remains tense. Peace-loving citizens are hoping for a resolution to this controversy.
A Timeline of the Incident
The controversy began after the 115th foundation day ceremony of Uday Pratap College on November 25, 2024, where UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that the college would be upgraded to a university. He also declared that investigations would be conducted into past disputes related to the college. The very next day, on November 26, an old notice went viral within the Muslim community, claiming that the land of Uday Pratap College was the property of the Waqf Board.
A few days later, on November 29, local Muslims gathered at the mosque for Friday prayers. It sparked the beginning of the dispute. It happened at a time when legal cases regarding the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor and the Gyanvapi Mosque have been ongoing, involving claims of a temple beneath the mosque.
The Nawab Tonk Mosque is over a century old and still appears in official government records.
Reasons Behind the Dispute
Munawar, a member of the committee managing the mosque, told TwoCircles.net, “The controversy arose after CM Yogi’s announcement to make Uday Pratap College a university and the subsequent mention of investigating alleged past scams. Just a few days later, on November 29, around 350–400 local Muslims came to offer prayers, as they have been doing for years. The number of people was not unusual. But following Yogi’s visit, the college administration spread rumors that Muslims from outside the city were being brought in to pray.”
He continued, “The Muslim population in Bhojubeer is approximately 600. On Fridays, this number swells to 400–500 due to the regular attendees of Friday prayers. This is nothing new.”
College Principal Too Rejects Claim
Uday Pratap College Principal Dr D.K. Singh rejected the claim made by the Waqf Board. He said the land on which the mosque is situated belongs to the college, and the mosque was constructed illegally. He asserted that the land is part of a trust and cannot be bought or sold.
Muslims’ Claim
On the other hand, the Muslim community maintains that the land on which the college stands historically belongs to the Nawab of Tonk. They refer to the presence of the mazar (shrine) of Khajnar Shah and an unused well on the mosque’s premises as supporting evidence. They also point to the regular use of the mosque for religious activities, citing the installation of facilities like solar panels, ablution areas, bathrooms and toilets. The mosque’s members also emphasise that the electricity connection and other facilities were arranged with mutual consent, which they believe validates their claims.
Hanuman Chalisa Recital, Rising Tensions
Hindu organisations and students, however, argue that the mosque was built illegally within the college campus and should be removed. They claim that the land belongs to a trust and cannot be used for religious purposes. Hindu organisations have also stated that if prayers are offered in the mosque, they will recite Hanuman Chalisa in protest. After the recital of Hanuman Chalisa and chanting of slogans on December 3, the tension escalated, though police presence has kept the situation in check.
ACP (Cantt) Vidush Saxena said, as of now, the Shivpur police station has arrested four people in connection with the protest – including Mukhtar Ahmad, a key figure in the Gyanvapi dispute, and three brothers — Afroz Khan, Adil Khan and Firoz Khan from the Gilat Bazaar area. The police have warned of strict action against anyone spreading rumors or making irresponsible statements in order to maintain peace.
Historical Background
The Nawab Tonk Mosque, located in the Narayanpur Mauza of Varanasi, is mentioned in a map from 1883–84. The land of the mosque is recorded in the Khasra-Khatoni (land records) under the name of Khwaja Okas Alwar, dating back to Fasal 1414.
It is believed that Khwaja Okas Alwar owned a princely state before independence. This mosque stands as a witness to the times when freedom fighters built such places as symbols of resistance against the British.
According to a detailed report published by Amar Ujala on December 6, 2009, Nawab Mohammad Ali Khan of the Tonk princely state built this mosque in 1888. He was imprisoned by the British in Gilat Bazaar for ten years and later settled in Varanasi. After his release, he constructed the mosque, which now serves as a symbol of resistance against the British colonialism. On a typical day, 30–40 people come to pray at the mosque, with numbers swelling to 300–400 on Fridays.
Mosque Management Committee’s Stand
S.M. Yaseen, joint secretary of the Anjuman Intizamia Masajid Committee, which manages the Gyanvapi Mosque, told TwoCircles.net, “The proposal to upgrade Uday Pratap College to a university is welcome, but raising a dispute over religious sites is unwarranted. In 2008, the college administration had formally permitted the laying of stones on the pathway leading to the mosque. This permission was granted to facilitate access to the mosque.”
Yaseen emphasised that there had never been any controversy regarding the mosque and that the media’s portrayal of the situation was incorrect. He further said that a letter was sent on December 3, 2024, to the Central Sunni Waqf Board’s chairman, Zafar Faruqui, requesting clarification on the status of the 2018 notice. The board replied via email, confirming that the notice was canceled on January 18, 2021, and currently has no legal standing, he said.
The Sunni Waqf Board also clarified that there was no dispute over the property of Khwaja Okas in Narayanpur Mauza. Muslims are primarily concerned with the security of their places of worship, and the controversy over Nawab Tonk Mosque violates the 1991 Places of Worship Act, which prohibits changes to the status of religious sites.
Calls for Resolution
Alok Verma, the ADM (City) of Varanasi, said an investigation is underway to determine the ownership of the land on which the mosque is built, and if necessary, a survey will be conducted to settle the matter.
Meanwhile, local resident Mohmmad Azam, who has been visiting the Nawab Tonk Mosque for prayers since childhood, expressed his concern over the rising tensions, especially considering past events where Muslim homes have been bulldozed or subjected to fake FIRs and arrests. “This controversy has been artificially created. We have been offering prayers here for decades, and the number of worshippers on Fridays has always been the same,” he said.
Another local, Ali Jan, said, “We, as peace-loving Muslims, have no complaints against the police or administration. However, the unnecessary locking of the mosque should be addressed promptly. We hope that the situation will return to normal and that peace will prevail once again in Bhojubeer.”