Cleric Sparks Controversy Over Maha Kumbh Mela, Claims It's Held on Waqf Land

As the countdown begins for the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, a major controversy has flared, sparking intense debates on religious coexistence. Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, president of the All India Muslim Jamat, has alleged that 55 bighas of Waqf Board land are being used for the grand Hindu religious gathering. In a passionate video statement, the cleric commended the Muslim community of Prayagraj for their magnanimity in allowing the use of Waqf land for the event and called on Hindus to display similar inclusivity by permitting Muslim participation. He strongly condemned the All India Akhara Parishad’s controversial call to bar non-Hindus from the Kumbh, framing the issue as a test of communal harmony and mutual respect ahead of the historic congregation.