The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has once again directed the Ahmedabad Sunni Muslim Waqf Committee to demolish a section of the compound wall at the historic Chartoda Kabrastan and relocate graves for a road expansion project. This move has sparked a firm rebuttal and a warning of potential unrest from the committee, which manages the cemetery.
Waqf Committee's Firm Rejection and Warning
In response to the AMC's notice dated December 23, 2025, the committee on Friday urged the civic body to withdraw its order. The committee explicitly warned that disturbing the graves could lead to a serious law and order situation, as the issue touches upon the deep religious sentiments of the Muslim community.
The committee, in an earlier reply on December 27, clarified that it holds no religious or legal authority to exhume bodies. It manages three of the city's largest graveyards, including Chartoda Kabrastan.
Religious Impermissibility and Historical Significance
The committee's stance is rooted in Islamic principles. "There is no concept in Islam of shifting a graveyard from one place to another," the committee told AMC. It emphasized that according to Islamic beliefs, graves, once created, cannot be disturbed, shifted, or relocated under any circumstances.
Contesting the AMC's claim, the committee stated that the earmarked area contains not just a few graves but approximately 300 graves. Among them is the historic Dai Ma Ka Mazar, which is around 600 years old and marks the starting point of the graveyard.
"Mass shifting of such a large number of graves is religiously impermissible, administratively impractical and socially sensitive," the committee asserted.
Legal Protections and Judicial Precedent
Beyond religious arguments, the committee highlighted the legal safeguards for the site. It stated that the graveyard is a registered waqf property protected under the provisions of the Waqf Act. The committee advised the AMC to correspond with the Gujarat State Waqf Board, which is the ultimate caretaker and protector of the property.
The committee also cited a January 2025 order from the Gujarat High Court. In a case where a petitioner sought protection for his mother's grave falling in a road line, the HC had stated that no grave is permitted outside the graveyard. This precedent strengthens the committee's position against relocation.
Furthermore, the committee has written to the Gujarat State Waqf Board, calling for its intervention to protect the graves, noting that the kabrastan is listed on the official UMEED portal.
Citing the combined weight of religious sanctity, historical importance, and statutory protection, the Ahmedabad Sunni Muslim Waqf Committee has made a final appeal to the AMC to withdraw the demolition notice, seeking an amicable resolution that respects community sentiments and legal frameworks.
