The residents of Makhni village in Raisen district, a Hindu-majority area, have been shaken after the Waqf Board claimed their homes, agricultural land and precisely, a Shivling. The board’s move has sparked widespread anger in the village. Reportedly, it has issued notices to the villagers stating that the land belongs to the board and must be evacuated.

According to media reports, the Waqf Board claims that the land in Makhni village is part of a graveyard. However, it has not provided any solid evidence to support this assertion. Despite the lack of proof, the notice includes a list of villagers’ homes, farmlands, platforms, and even the village Shivling. The board has ordered immediate eviction, leaving the residents both anxious and outraged.

In addition to claiming ownership of villagers' properties, the Waqf Board has also asserted control over state-owned land in the area. Despite official government records confirming that the land belongs to the state, the board insists it is waqf property. It argues that the village once belonged to a man named Qadir Khan. He allegedly donated it to the Waqf board. Nonetheless, residents have strongly refuted this claim, stating that someone named Qadir Khan never lived in the village.

Generations of families have lived in Makhni and have made it apparent that they will not surrender their land. They are determined to resist the Waqf Board’s actions. The dispute over the Shivling has further fuelled tensions, with locals accusing the board of overstepping its authority and attempting unlawful encroachment.

The Raisen controversy emerged when the Indian government worked on a Waqf Amendment Bill to address concerns regarding the Waqf Board’s authority and property claims. The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) presented its report on the bill in the Rajya Sabha in February 2025.

There has been growing public outcry over the board’s unchecked influence across the country, as it has reportedly applied claims to temples, Hindu-owned lands, government properties, and other assets in recent years.