By Abdul hafiz lakhani Ahmedabad
The BJP government stopped the Haj subsidy from this year , so some sections of Muslim community are demanding that they must return the Waqf land to Muslim community which is under government control . Recently, The Tamil Nadu government today announced an annual subsidy of Rs 6 crore for Haj pilgrimage from this year, months after it had opposed the Centre’s decision to do away with the monetary aid to the pilgrims. Chief Minister K Palaniswami made the announcement in the state assembly.
The Muslim community is the real owner of more than six lakh acres of Waqf land in the country .These lands were endowed for the welfare of Muslim community. But the government is controlling such huge number of Muslim waqf land spread all over the country .
When government gives pea nut like subsidy in the name of Haj subsidy, a lot of hall-gulla is made. This subsidy is called as appeasement of Muslim community .
But the same governments are sitting over the six lakh acre waqf land belonging to Muslim community .The ruling political classe have been indulging into Waqf land grabbing for the last 70 years .
This waqf land grabbing is still continuing even in the states run by BJP governments. Some Waqf land mafia are protected for unknown political reasons .The large quantity of waqf land has been grabbed .
The Waqf Boards and waqf Council work under the directions of governments and politicians of ruling parties .These Waqf Boards collude with Waqf Mafia and corrupt politicians in the loot and plunder of Waqf land .
In 2015, the Supreme Court had passed an order, directing all states to set up three-member waqf boards to protect such property. Today, there are 32 such boards across states and union territories of the country. However, there have been innumerable attempts in the past to do what is forbidden. Waqf land has become a prime target of encroachers.
The presence of waqf boards, with whom lies the responsibility to guard the assets, has been counter-productive.
“Several state boards have been accused in recent years of selling waqf land to developers and private buyers for low rates in return for illegal kickbacks as demand for land soars,” says a Reuters report.
The issue is widely publicised and well acknowledged. According to government estimates, over half of the waqf properties, are occupied by people who are not its legitimate owners.“Ever since Wakf Boards have been set up, there has been an issue related to vacant properties being encroached upon by what I call Wakf mafia,” Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told media earlier this year while talking about his ministry’s plan to use such land for the purpose of developing malls, educations institutes, hostels and skill centres.
So why it is not returning the WAQF properties of Muslim community which have been endowed for religious purposes and to the religious organizations like Masjids ,Madarsas ,Imam Bargah , Dargah ,Qabrastan , Orphanages and other Muslim charitable and religious organisations ?
The Waqf properties are being usurped illegally all over the country .The governments have been blind to such loot .But there are allegations of political and official partnership in the crimes against Waqf properties.
If Waqf properties are returned to the Muslim community , then Indian Muslims can take care of many problems inflicting the community themselves .They will not need any subsidy or grant or alms from the government .So , if this government stopped the Haj subsidy , it must be asked to return the Waqf land also , to the Muslim community .
