By Andalib Akhter for TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: Speakers at conference on the recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Wakf stressed the need of freeing the Wakf properties from illegal occupations and utilizing their income for the welfare of the Muslim community.
Delegates from 28 states and 6 union territories deliberated on the issues concerning the wakf administration and the related matters. The idea was to identify modalities for implementing the recommendations made by the joint parliamentary committee on Wakf. The committee has presented its IXth report on October 23 2008, in both Houses of parliament.
The Vice President, Mohd. Hamid Ansari at the inauguration of the ‘Conference of the State Ministers on Wakf’, in New Delhi on December 20, 2008.
The Union Minister for Minority Affairs, A.R. Antulay and the Deputy Speaker, Rajya Sabha, K. Rehman Khan are also seen. [PIB photo]
Inaugurating the day long conference attended by delegates from all over the country, the vice president of India Hamid Ansari said that it is matter of great concern for the community that vast property of wakf lying useless or generating very little income. Appreciating the work of JPC Ansari said the recommendation of the committee must be accepted to improve the condition of the Muslim in the country. “The issue of waqf is both of worldly as well as related to hereafter. It should be done with great deal of piousness integrity” he said.
Minister for minority affairs A R Antulay suggested that if waqf properties were freed from the illegal occupation, the community would need no help from others. “Our waqf property could generate so much money that we could be self reliant” he said.
Lok sabha speaker Somnath Chatarjee said that Muslim community has not been able to be equal beneficiaries which certainly call for serious introspection and deliberation. “Effective functioning of the wakf institutions will go a long way in contributing to progress of a substantial segment of our society and the strength of the secular edifice of India”, he said.
K Rahman khan who head JPC said that in certain states the boards have not been constituted and wherever constituted these are not functioning properly. “The financial condition of the wakf board in almost all the states and union territory is very weak and several governments are not giving any assistance to the wakf boards” he informed.