The Lucknow Waqf Board has laid claim to Uday Pratap (UP) College, a 115-year-old institution in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. In a notice, the Sunni Waqf Board stated that the college property is attached to the board.

Spread over 100 acres, UP College is a prestigious institution, catering to over 17,000 students across its campus. The premises house multiple educational institutions, including UP Degree College, Inter College, Rajarshi Shishu Vihar, Rajarshi Public School and Rani Murar Girls School.

Dr. DK Singh, Principal of UP College, revealed that the Waqf Board sent the notice on December 6, 2018. In its response dated December 21, 2018, the college clarified that it is managed by a trust and does not fall under any external ownership.

"The college is operated under the Uday Pratap College and Hewett Kshatriya School Endowment Trust, formed in 1909 by Raja Uday Pratap Singh Judev," Dr. Singh said, referencing the institution's founding. "Under the Charitable Endowment Act, trust land ownership ceases automatically after the base year, eliminating any ownership claims."

Dr. Singh further expressed disbelief over the claim, calling it absurd. "This is a highly reputed educational institution; the Waqf Board cannot acquire it," he said.

Students informed the college administration about a mosque being secretly constructed on the property. Acting swiftly, the administration removed construction materials and cut the electricity supply to the site, citing a lack of requisite papers.

On the college's foundation day, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the campus and addressed faculty and students. He dismissed the Waqf Board’s claim, asserting, "Under no circumstances can the Waqf Board take over this 115-year-old institution."

During his address, CM Yogi also revealed plans to elevate UP College into a university. "If materialised, this would become Varanasi's fifth university," he noted. The city currently has four universities: Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth, and the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies.

The Waqf Board is the third-largest landholder in India, managing 9.4 lakh acres across 8.7 lakh properties, valued at over ₹1 lakh crore. It ranks behind only the Indian Railways and the armed forces in terms of land ownership.

The dispute over Uday Pratap College highlights the complexities surrounding land ownership and governance, with historic institutions caught at the intersection of legal and administrative challenges.