In a recent development in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district, around 150 families in Kattukollai village, Anaikattu Taluk, have received notices declaring their agricultural land as Waqf property, prompting widespread protests. The villagers, who have lived on the land for four generations and depend entirely on agriculture for their livelihood, marched to the Vellore District Collector’s office to demand clarity and protection of their land rights. The notice, allegedly issued in the name of Syed Ali Sultan Shah Dargah in February, claims the land belongs to a local dargah and is under Waqf Board ownership, requiring villagers to either sign rent agreements with the Waqf Board or vacate the land, which would otherwise be treated as encroached property and recovered under Waqf laws.
Affected families would be flanked by the Hindu Munnani, a Hindu organization, that expressed anger and fear at the prospect of losing their only source of income. Many villagers have government authorized land documents as evidence presented to the district administration for intervention. “This land is our only source of livelihood, and now we are being told to vacate it or pay rent to the Dargah. It has created fear and confusion,” said a local farmer, conveying the despair of the community over this precarious situation. Mahesh, a Hindu Munnani leader who spearheaded the villagers to the collectorate, demanded immediate action from the authorities to resolve the ownership dispute.
This is an incident that resembles something that happened in Thiruchendurai village, Tiruchirappalli district, where the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board claimed to own nearly 480 acres of worth land back in 2022 with the inclusion of a 1500-year-old Chola-era Sundareswarar Temple. The people were informed in that conflict about the restriction that hindered them from selling their land without a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from Waqf Board, which ruled to confusion and anxiety. The Waqf Board has claimed 389 acres in 18 villages of Tamil Nadu, through a government survey conducted in 1954, which got on to national headlines while debated in Parliament about the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
Recently, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was passed in both Houses of Parliament after a 12-hour debate, and it received the presidential assent on April 5, 2025. The Act is intended to decentralize the management of Waqf properties. It aims to introduce more transparency into property management, create better coordination among Waqf boards and other local authorities, and secure the rights of all the stakeholders while protecting heritage sites and promoting the welfare of societies. The Act, however, failed to escape criticism and widespread protests throughout the country. In Chennai, the Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ) organized a rally of over 10,000 people demanding the repeal of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, claiming that the bill violates Muslims’ rights and freedoms
The Kattukollai land dispute has also drawn political attention. Social media posts highlight the involvement of actor-politician Vijay, head of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), who has challenged the Waqf Amendment Act in the Supreme Court, alongside the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Critics argue that the amendment, intended to address such disputes, may now complicate matters for villagers seeking to reclaim their lands.
Meanwhile, some villagers and observers express hope that the new Waqf Act will provide clarity and protection, though uncertainty persists about its practical implications.
As the situation unfolds, official investigations and potential legal proceedings are expected to determine the fate of the land in Kattukollai, with the villagers continuing to demand official land ownership documents (patta) to secure their rights and livelihood.
