Tensions escalated at Varanasi’s Udai Pratap Degree College this week after more than 600 Muslim students offered Friday prayers at a mosque located within the campus. The prayer session sparked protests from Hindu students, who responded by reciting the Hanuman Chalisa. The situation led to the detention of seven students by the police, who were accused of disturbing the peace.
The incident follows growing concerns over the mosque on campus, an issue that resurfaced after a notice from the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board, issued in 2018, gained attention on social media. The notice, addressed to the college manager, sought a response to a demand by Waseem Ahmed of Varanasi to have the land on which the mosque is located registered as Waqf property. However, college authorities have clarified that there are no ongoing issues regarding the mosque’s land.
Tensions reached a peak last Friday when a larger-than-usual crowd visited the mosque for prayers. Typically, around 40–50 people attend Friday prayers, but this time, over 600 people gathered. Students responded by staging protests at the campus gate, reciting the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ to express their discontent. Police were deployed to manage the situation and detained seven individuals, including current and former students, who were later released on bail.
“The large number of outsiders entering the campus for prayers is causing unrest,” said Vivekanand Singh, a former student. “The mosque has always been part of the campus, but the entry of outsiders should be restricted.”
In response to the unrest, the college principal, Dharmendra Kumar Singh, stated that he had asked authorities to limit access to the mosque, suggesting that only residents and current students with valid ID should be allowed to attend prayers. “Allowing outsiders could create further tension,” he was quote as saying by the Indian Express.
The mosque, which is situated on a small plot of 0.06 acres, has been part of the college since its establishment in 1909. The college principal confirmed that the land is registered in the college’s name and that there has been no pending issue with the Waqf Board.
S.M. Yaseen, joint secretary of the Gyanvapi Mosque Management Committee, wrote to the Waqf Board on December 3, requesting clarity on the matter. The Waqf Board clarified on December 3 that the 2018 notice had been revoked in 2021 and assured that no further action was being pursued.
With the clarification from the Waqf Board, Yaseen stated, “The protests were based on a misunderstanding, and the issue should now be resolved.”
Meanwhile, the UP College Students’ Union president, Sudhir Singh, said discussions were ongoing with local authorities to ensure peace and order. Varanasi’s Deputy Commissioner of Police, Chandra Kant Meena, assured the public that a police force had been deployed and that the situation was under control.
