By Mohd. Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: The war of words between two Shia clerics escalated here on Sunday with spokesperson of All India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB), Maulana Yasoob Abbas lashing out at Imam-e-Juma Maulana Kalbe Jawwad for, in his view, harming the interests of the Shia community.
Yasoob in a fresh diatribe castigated Jawwad for allegedly harming the interests of the Shia community. “He does not possess any vision for the welfare of the youths in the community. No organisation has been set up by him and the existing ones are being weakened by his onslaught,” alleged Yasoob. He cited that Shia PG College which is a big institution of the community was attacked by Jawwad as he tried that its reins are handed over to the government. “He used all tactics but failed in his efforts,” he said. The row between the two clerics over Shia PG College had witnessed violence in the past when Jawwad led a procession against the college management leading to his arrest in 2010 and thus engulfing the old city into violence. Yasoob also alleged that Jawwad had also undermined the Sultanul Madaris, a prominent Shia Islamic seminary in Lucknow.
The acrimony between the two clerics also escalated as Jawwad got hold of Shia Central Board of Waqfs in UP with his brother in law Kamaluddin Akbar being appointed as president. The board controls most of the Imambaras and other Awqafs. “The waqf properties are being sold away. Surprisingly, there was no other honest person in whole state to head the waqf board. Already, land in Sajjad Bagh waqf has been sold away,” said Yasoob. He also mentioned that a gate constructed by Maulana Kalbe Sadiq who is also uncle of Maulana Kalbe Jawwad in Ghuframab Imambara has been demolished by Jawwad. “The land for graves is being sold at a premium in Ghuframab while a large chunk has been given to a hospital by them, all these things should be probed,” said Yasoob.
Earlier, also the two clerics remained at loggerheads. Maulana Kalbe Jawwad did not attend the recently concluded convention of AISPLB on March 12-13 at Lucknow though his uncle Maulana Kalbe Sadiq, who is also Vice-President of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), attended it.