Hyderabad: Activists up the ante, ask CWC team to visit encroached Wakf properties

Hyderabad: Wakf activists on Wednesday protested at Telangana State Wakf Board (TSWB) office in the city and demanded Central Wakf Council (CWC) to visit the encroached properties if it really cares and want to protect the properties belonging to wakf.

The wakf activists disrupted the visit of CWC team to TSWB for an hour and demanded them to listen to their woes about the department before meeting the chairman over irregularities. Member of the CWC Hanif Ali sat on ground with the activists and noted down their concerns and assured to take up the issues with ministers and authorities.

Activist Osman Mohammad Khan,TPCC organising secretary and others apprised the CWC members about the encroachment of more than 70,000 wakf properties across the state while half of them were prime lands. They said said had the properties been properly protected, it could have changed the fate of Muslims. But TSWB is handicapped and is functioning with inadequate manpower.This shows that the Telangana government is not serious to protect wakf properties, they rued.

Osman Mohammad Khan alleged that the TRS government had not only promised to protect the wakf properties across the State but also said it will take back the encroached land. The party won twice on the same promise but nothing has been done. He also complained that the department is completely idle and minister, minority secretary, CEO, and other authorities' never provide answers to public grievances." He also demanded to protect the property being encroached at Almas Masjid at Boduppal and to book FIR against the encroachers. He also alleged that the wakf board chairman remains silent over encroachments; it shows that he is working under political pressure.

Meanwhile, the chairman of TSWB has handed over the cheque for Rs 7.24 lakh to CWC as one per cent partnership with CWC. The Council said that the board is due of Rs 83 lakh to CWC. This is the first cheque the Council has received after Central Wakf Council has formed since 2016. The CWC delegation will continue visits for three more days and meet the ministers, officials and also interact with staff as well.