Qamar-ul Islam, Minister for Municipalities and Local Bodies, and Minorities Welfare, Haj and Wakf, has promised to expedite the survey of wakf properties, started during the tenure of M. Veerappa Moily as Chief Minister.
He told presspersons here on Wednesday that such a survey should be done periodically as per the Wakf Properties Act. The Minister expressed confidence that it would be completed during the Congress government’s tenure. He said a 12-member task force headed by the Additional Chief Secretary and the Development Commissioner had been set up for the purpose.
Mr. Islam said instructions had been issued to deputy commissioners, regional commissioners and the Chief Executive Officer of the Wakf Board to ensure that the report was submitted at the earliest.
He said the government would not accept the report submitted by Anwar Manippady, former chairman of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission, as it presented an “individual’s opinion.”
“Any inquiry report should be usually prepared by a commission that is headed by a chairperson with members. But this report was prepared by an individual,” he said.
Referring to a private complaint filed before the Special Lokayukta Court against him, the Minister said he had been “falsely implicated”. The complainant Tabrez Pasha has accused the Minister of illegally acquiring wakf properties in Gulbarga.
“I am informed that the matter pertains to my brother Anwar-ul Haq’s father-in-law Syed Gulam Dastagir’s property which was granted by the Land Tribunal, Gulbarga, in 1981. As I am determined to protect wakf properties from further encroachment, a conspiracy is going on to tarnish my image,” he said.
Priority
Mr. Islam said priority would be given to develop 150 clear title wakf properties into commercially viable projects. “I have asked officials to prepare a project report in three months so that we can develop them with Central assistance,” he added.
