Waqf Board stakes claim on two islands in Bet Dwarka: Report

Gandhinagar: Waqf Board has written an application to Gujarat High Court staking claim on the ownership of two islands in Bet Dwarka in Devbhoomi Dwarka. As per a report in Gujarati daily Divya Bhaskar, the hearing of the application was heard in the court of Justice Sangeeta Vishen.

The Waqf committee in its application claimed that the ownership of two islands on Bet Dwarka island belongs to the Waqf Board. On hearing this, the Gujarat High Court expressed disproval and hit out, “Are you aware of what you are saying? How can Waqf Board claim ownership of land in Krishnanagari?’ and refused to hear the application.

The Divya Bhaskar report states that there are total 8 small islands in the Bet Dwarka cluster. The Sunni Waqf Board has written application staking ownership claims on them. They have claimed that the land on the nearby islands in Bet Dwarka belong to the Waqf Board. On hearing this, the High Court was upset and asked them to reread their application and submit another revised application in vacation court.

Bet Dwarka or Beyt Dwarka was the residence of Shri Krishna during the time he ruled Gujarat. It is a small island off the coast of Dwarka and one needs to take about 30 minute boat-ride from Okha. The small island is inhabited by about 7,000 families of which about 6,000 families are Muslim families. Bet Dwarka is one of the holy pilgrimage sites for Hindus.