Prayagraj, 3 April

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Waqf Board, accusing it of land encroachments and asserting that its "arbitrary claims" over public and historical sites would no longer be tolerated.

Addressing a gathering in Prayagraj, Adityanath said, "The Waqf Board had been making baseless claims over lands across cities. Even during the preparations for the Kumbh Mela, they declared that the event's land belonged to them. We had to ask -has the Waqf Board turned into a land mafia?"

He emphasised that under his government, such encroachments had been removed, and mafias had been driven out of Uttar Pradesh.

"Encroachments were made in the name of Waqf at various places, including the sacred land associated with Nishad Raj. But this will not be allowed to continue. A grand and divine Kumbh Mela was organised despite their objections," he said.

The chief minister also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for taking legislative action against the alleged irregularities of the Waqf Board.

"We are grateful to the prime minister and the home minister for ensuring that the Waqf Board's arbitrary practices are curbed. A crucial act addressing this issue has already been passed in the Lok Sabha and will now be cleared in the Rajya Sabha," he stated.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday and introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Adityanath stressed that the state would no longer tolerate illegal claims and national interest must come first. "Those who are loyal to the nation will always find their path ahead," he said.

Adityanath on Thursday here inaugurated an exhibition based on stories related to Lord Ram and King Nishadraj, along with the 'One District, One Product' (ODOP) initiative, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Lord Ram's close companion Nishadraj Guha. He was accompanied by Cabinet ministers Nand Gopal Gupta and Sanjay Nishad, among others.

As part of the celebrations, the chief minister also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 181 development projects worth Rs 579 crore in Prayagraj.

In preparation for 'Maha Kumbh 2025 Prayagraj,' trained guides, boatmen, and homestay operators who made significant contributions were felicitated with appreciation certificates.

Additionally, under the Mukhyamantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, a financial assistance of Rs 20 crore was provided to 1,400 fish farmers.