Madhya Pradesh has made history by appointing two non-Muslim members to its state Waqf Board for the first time in the country, and the most talked-about name on that list is Animesh Bhargava, a resident of Raghogarh in Guna district. What makes it even more interesting is that Raghogarh is the hometown of senior Congress leader and former chief minister Digvijay Singh, and Animesh's father is known for his close friendship with him.
A Father's Friendship, A Son's Different Ideology
Ashok Bhargava, a well-known lawyer by profession, has shared not just a close relationship but a deep, unbreakable friendship with Digvijay Singh since 1975. His son Animesh Bhargava, however, chose a completely different path, moving away from the family's political leanings. From the very beginning, Animesh gravitated towards nationalism and the ideology of the RSS and the BJP. About a decade ago, he quit a comfortable job as a manager at HDFC Bank and moved to Bhopal with his wife. Since then, he has been serving selflessly as a full-time worker at the BJP's state office, with managing the party office from morning till late night becoming his everyday routine.
Madhya Pradesh Becomes the First State to Enforce the Amended Waqf Law
Through an official notification published in the Madhya Pradesh Gazette on 4 July 2026, the state became the first in the country to implement the stringent provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. Until now, under the older Waqf Act of 1995, only members of the Muslim community could sit on the board. In 2025, the central government brought in a landmark amendment making it mandatory for every state's Waqf board to have at least two non-Muslim members. Acting on this provision, the Madhya Pradesh government named Sanwer Patel of Indore as the board's new chairman, while including Animesh Bhargava of Guna and Manoj Malpani of Indore as Hindu members, setting a new precedent for the country.
From Finance Professional to BJP Media Panelist
Holding an MBA in Finance, Animesh Bhargava carries close to 18 years of experience working in the finance and corporate sector. He currently represents the party as a media panelist for the Madhya Pradesh BJP. Looking back at his organisational journey, around a decade ago, during the Raghogarh municipal council elections, he made a strong bid for the BJP's president candidacy ticket. Due to political calculations within the party at the time, he did not get the ticket. Rather than being discouraged, he devoted himself entirely to organisational work, moved to Bhopal, and became fully immersed in mainstream state politics. It is the result of this sustained hard work and dedication that he has now been handed this significant, national-level responsibility.
Who's on the New Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board Team
According to the new notification, the following have been included in the Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board:
- Animesh Bhargava (Raghogarh, Guna): Member, non-Muslim
- Manoj Malpani (Indore): Member, non-Muslim
- Dr. Najma Heptulla (New Delhi): Member, term until April 2028
- Atif Aqeel, MLA Bhopal North: Member
- Shaista Sultan, Councillor Berasia, Bhopal: Member
- Shabana Khan, Councillor Ratlam: Member
- Commissioner, Backward Classes and Minority Welfare Department: Ex-officio member
By including representatives of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities on its Waqf Board team, the state government has secured its position as the first in the country to fully implement the provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
