Unseal Waqf record room, demands Central Waqf Council
Expressing shock at the way the record room of the Waqf Board has remained sealed for the past several months, the Central Waqf Council members, who made a visit to the State Wakf Board office, demanded that the government immediately unseal the record room and constitute a new Board, as the current board’s tenure has come to an end.
Nampally: Expressing shock at the way the record room of the Waqf Board has remained sealed for the past several months, the Central Waqf Council members, who made a visit to the State Wakf Board office, demanded that the government immediately unseal the record room and constitute a new Board, as the current board's tenure has come to an end. CWC members Rais Khan Pathan, Waseem Rahatali Khan, TO Naushad and Haneef Ali met TS Wakf Board Chairman Md Saleem on Monday
While referring to the State government's position, as one of its Ministers in the Assembly quoted as saying that the extent of the State Wakf properties was 40,000 acres of land, the Council members felt that when official records have details of 77,000 acres of land, the current State government was revealing that only half of that.
"Hiding the true extent of land, besides sealing the record section gives a wrong message. We have been informed that powerful politicians were behind the encroachments and the way Wakf mafia operates in the city spokes volume about the political clout, " said TO Naushad, a Central Waqf Council member.
"The present Central Waqf Council, Union Ministry of Minority Affairs and Union Government have zero tolerance to encroachment of Waqf lands. We have decided to initiate drastic steps to evict encroachers from Waqf property, howsoever strong and influential they are," he added. "I appeal on behalf of CWC to Chief Minister to release the records room with immediate effect," added Naushad.
He also demanded that the State government to constitute the new Board through elections of members, as the tenure of the Board is already completed. "We shall be reporting the matter to the Minorities Affairs Ministry about the state of affairs in Telangana. Both sealing the record room and delay in coming with the new body is a matter of serious concern. It will adversely affect the Muslim community and people in general. Full-fledged board should be constitutedas all the members who remained with the board are nominated or those whose term is over," he pointed out.
Huge encroachment
Naushad alleged that under the current government the huge Waqf land parcels have already been encroached upon all over the State. "It is very unfortunate to say that the alleged encroachers are among the community itself and some people are closely associated with the Waqf authorities. Further, there are representatives from the Muslim community who are in both Parliament and TS Assembly belongs to Telangana.
They continue to shout about the betterment of the community, but as far as their city is concerned they are absolutely keeping silence with respect to encroachment of Waqf property and alienation of the Waqf properties," a CWC member added.
