The Offending Twins: Waqf and National Herald

 

After prolonged delays, legal battles, all possible hindrances, delaying tactics, and covert judicial sympathy, two matters that originated in the Congress Coalition government (UPA) between 2008 and 2014 and were successfully kept under cover from becoming major scandals have finished their gestation period and are now in an open public forum for judicial finalization.

 

Though the subject matters are apparently totally different, their coming out in the open and in national media at the same time must be poetic justice. Both these issues have shaken up the hereditary, feudal, political, and religious leadership, as in the near future, both are going to lose their assumed birthrights over wealth created through covertly acquired public properties and funds, which they were in the habit of blatantly consuming and consummating for their pure personal benefits.

 

 

The similarity between these twins, who are overtly dizygotic (i.e., twins not looking alike) but covertly the same, is explained in the succeeding paragraphs.

 

National Herald - The Associated Journals Ltd: Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru felt a need to have dedicated newspapers for the publication of Freedom Movement-related issues. So, in November 1937, a private limited company, namely "The Associated Journals Ltd. (AJL)," was formed by contributions from 5000 freedom fighters, including eminent freedom fighters of that time, and through its share sale, the much-needed capital was raised to start publication of three newspapers, viz., the National Herald in English, Qaumi Awaz in Urdu, and Navjeevan in Hindi. In due course the AJL slowly expanded its operations from its head office in New Delhi to Mumbai, Lucknow, Bhopal, Patna, Indore, and Panchkula.

 

The aim of AJL was to be only in the ‘news business’ to support the freedom movement and not involve itself in a profit-making business.

 

Comparing AJL and Waqf: Considering that the Waqf is always associated with pious intentions and social service causes, we can theoretically compare AJL to Waqf, since AJL was formed for national awakening (a noble cause) by a group of enlightened and devoted persons (Waqifs), i.e., freedom fighters (shareholders), and Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru was sort of a Mutawalli (the caretaker and administrator) with NO INTENTIONS to earn profits.

 

In due course the newspaper media started shrinking, and it became difficult to sustain the newspaper publication business. In 2008, AJL stopped all the printing activity along with all newspaper publications. By this time the immovable properties acquired by AJL became prime properties with approximate valuation between 2000 and 5000 Cr Rs. However, during its operation, the AJL accumulated a loss of Rs 90 Cr, and this amount was made good by taking an interest-free loan from the Indian National Congress Party of Rs 90 Cr.

 

At this stage the correct thing to do was to encash the assets and repay the loan, and the huge balance amount should have been deposited in the consolidated fund of India or returned to the heir of the then shareholders of AJL.

However, what was done was different. Despite the clear and known declining future of the print media due to increasing domination of social media, a decision was taken to restart the newspaper publication at a suitable time in the future and hence continue with holding all the real estate assets till further action.

 

So AJL was not closed, but instead of continuing with AJL and its shareholders, another firm by the name "Young India Limited (YIL)" was created, and to this YIL, a mere ‘Partnership Firm,’ AJL was sold along with all the assets and liabilities and loans for a paltry sum of Rs 10 Lacs only.

 

Which means that a nearly 70-year-old public limited company with assets worth 2000 to 5000 Cr Rs and liabilities (loans) of only Rs 90 Cr was purchased by a newly formed ‘partnership firm (YIL)’ by paying ONLY Rs 10 Lac. It is interesting to note the shareholding of the Young India Limited. The ‘Young India Limited’ Partnership Firm is controlled by 4 (four) shareholders consisting of Smt. Sonia Gandhi (38 %), Shri Rahul Gandhi (38%), the late Shri Motilal Vora (12%), and the late Shri Oscar Fernandes (12%).

 

This practically means that Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Shri. Rajiv Gandhi had become virtual owners of the entire AJL property worth 2000 to 5000 Cr Rs, and all the rents and allied income generated by these properties were/are available to them for their personal consumption.

 

 

 

Even after leaving aside the properties claimed by Waqf Boards after 2013 (being blatantly illegal), as these will be restored to their rightful owners as per the Waqf Amended Act 2025, and leaving aside all other properties under legal dispute, the Waqf Council/Board of India holds a lot of real estate, which is controlled through the State Waqf Councils/Boards. Barring burial grounds and some mosques, all other assets are generating revenue, which is used by the heirs of the Mutawallis. There is no systematic accounting, and as per the data recently published, these properties, having an area of nearly eight lakh (800,000) acres, have only generated an annual income of Rs 160 crore. So instead of poor Muslims, orphan children, and divorced ladies and their children, the actual beneficiaries are totally different and have become the sole owners of this huge real estate and are enjoying the regular income from such properties for their personal consumption and wealth building.

 

 

It is the duty of the Government and the citizens to ensure that the assets created by philanthropy and spirited contributions need to be used for the purpose they were donated. With increasing population and prosperity, the real estate donated has become prime property in many urban areas and needs to be protected from illegal occupation and encroachments.

 

It is an established fact that, barring exceptions (if any?), all the custodians of such ‘Trusts (Waqfs)’ have already betrayed their mandate and have established themselves as owners of these properties and are manipulating the laws, legal systems, and administration to continue their illegal possessions. They are only carrying out notional welfare activities and have created empires for their own comfort and power.

 

The recently passed Waqf Amendment Act 2025 and the continuous hearing of the ‘National Herald’ case, which should now start, will see to it that in the future, the public will not be fooled by such cunning individuals and people will still believe in the adage “Bhagwan ke ghar der hai, per andher nahi hai.”