The Communist Party of India (CPI) has sought Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan’s intervention in resuming the Wakf lands sold illegally by some religious functionaries and take action against all ‘mutawallis’ who helped land grabbers to gain control over the lands.
In a letter addressed to the Governor, State secretary of the party K. Narayana and former Rajya Sabha member from the party Aziz Pasha said on Thursday that Andhra Pradesh was one of the States with a large extent of Wakf lands. However, about 80 per cent of the 1.61 lakh acres of Wakf land had slipped away into the hands of land grabbers during the last two-three decades, they pointed out.
Special Officer of Wakf Board S. Md. Iqbal initiated action against grabbers of Wakf lands and mutawallis who helped the land-grabbers in the recent weeks including suspension of 14 mutawallis, said Dr. Narayana and Mr. Aziz Pasha and alleged that a mutawalli had sold land to the extent of 685 acres belonging to Dargah Shah Khamooshat Khanajiguda, Alwal and Sultanpuri and made huge money illegally.
Unable to digest action being taken against corrupt mutawallis, some religious leaders had represented the Chief Secretary recently demanding removal of Mr. Iqbal from the post. The CPI leaders requested the Governor to speed up the process to resume the grabbed Wakf lands and restore them to the Wakf Board.
