New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that it would not stake claim over ownership of the Taj Mahal. It must be noted that the Board had in 2005 registered the Taj Mahal as a Waqf property following which ASI got a stay from Supreme Court on the registration order. The stay has been in place ever since. At the last hearing, the CJI had demanded the Board to produce the title deeds to the property.
On the claim of Waqf Board of having been in possession of the property ever since it was bequeathed as Waqf property by the Mughal emperor, the chief justice of India said, “Show us the title deeds. It would be interesting to see the handwriting and signature of Shah Jahan.”
However this Tuesday, when the court reconvened, the Waqf board said even it cannot stake claim to owning any Waqf property. “When it’s Waqf property, God is the owner. We are only the custodians,” Board lawyer Salman Khursheed said.