Dr. Mohammed Yousuff

Bidar: Karnataka State Waqf Board chairman Dr. Mohammed Yousuff has warned stringent action against the encroachers of Waqf properties said here on Tuesday.

According to Mr Yousuff, the board had been filing cases against encroachers in all districts. “In some districts, we have filed criminal cases against officials of some government agencies like city municipal councils”, he said.

He said that over 74,000 acres of Waqf land was lost to encroachers, across the State. “Only around 56,000 acres are left now. We will not only protect the existing properties, but also trying and get back all the encroached properties,” he said.

According to the chairman, a large number of Waqf properties were lost “due to wrong implementation of the Karnataka Land Reform Act, Inam Abolition Act, Rent Control Act and other laws.” Around 26,000 acres of Waqf properties are controlled by government departments like Revenue, Muzurai and Forest, he said.

He said that in some cases, private individuals or trusts had encroached Waqf lands in connivance with Imams and Mutawwalis of Islamic institutions. Such people should realize that the Imams and Mutawwalis are only trustees and protectors of the Waqf properties and not owners, he said. Such encroachments cannot be curbed easily as the level of awareness about Waqf laws among the Muslim community was very low.

Interestingly, the Waqf chairman’s accusations, resonates BJP leader and former Chairman of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission, Anwar Manippady’s 2012 report, where he has accused several state Muslim politicians and the board itself, of encroaching Waqf lands and embezzling hundreds of crores of rupees.

Dr. Mohammed Yousuff

Bangalore: Following the report published today by Nasheman, about the victory celebration organised by BJP leader Mr. Anwar Manippaddy and Muslim Ulemas associated with Bazm-e-Qasmi, and their allegations leveled against minority Muslim politicians and Wakq board, charging them with encroaching Wakf lands, Dr. Mohammed Yousuff, Chairman of Karnataka State Board of Auqaf, lashed out at the former Chairman of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission, calling him a cheater.

Mr. Yousuff speaking exclusively to Nasheman, said that, Mr. Mannipaddy has “has forgotten that it is the duty of the Waqf Board to recover such properties in accordance with law as provided under the Waqf Act.  According to the existing Waqf laws, it is the Waqf Board which is Competent Authority to remove the encroachments.”

Bangalore’s Hotel Windsor Manor, a Wakf property under dispute.

Calling Mr. Mannipaddy a “self styled minority leader,” Mr. Yousuff accused him of taking law into his own hands and said that Mr. Manipaddy wants to disturb the peace and tranquility in the state.

“The main intention of the above said self styled BJP leader is to create panic in the public by issuing application forms by misleading the public and has gone to the extent of proposing the construction of 2000 houses in Gorubhaidoddi Waqf land for distribution among the Muslim minority people and 25% to other community people where there is no such provisions under the Waqf Act, thereby misleading the other communities also which amounts to cheating the public.”

“The act of Mr. Anwar Mannipady clearly violates the provisions of law and he is liable for punishment. He cannot run a parallel Waqf Board and discharge the duties of the Waqf Board which is constituted and functioning as per the Waqf Act passed by the Parliament. I have got my own doubt that all these illegal and unlawful activities of Mr. Anwar Mannipady has not been brought to the notice of former Chief Minister B.S. Yedurappa, State BJP leader Pralhad Joshi and Union Ministers who would definitely not support his illegal acts and I also doubt that, these persons would participate in the alleged function as per his press statement appeared in the print media,” Mr. Yousuff added.

Mr. Mannipady for his part has maintained his stance by accusing the officials of the Wakf board to be in hands in glove with state minority Muslim politicians in embezzling hundreds of crores of rupees by encroaching Wakf lands.