By TCN News,
New Delhi: The All India Milli Council has expressed serious concern over the growing incidence of misappropriation of waqf properties all over India and urged the central and state governments to act promptly to stop the menace.
Milli Council general secretary Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam said here today that the government at Centre and state should act promptly to stop the menacing trend of misappropriation of waqf properties.
“The latest and most highly visible case is the construction of Mukesh Ambani’s multi-storied home in Mumbai, built at a staggering cost of over $1 billion (nearly Rs 4500 crore). The Waqf land on which it has illegally been built is worth Rs 3000 crore, but the Ambanis have got it virtually for free,” he said. This is the “best example of official corruption at the cost of Muslims,” he added.
Waqf is a religious endowment made by Muslim individuals and families for the welfare of the weak, especially for purposes like education, housing and healthcare.
“Waqf properties have the potential to finance a sizeable part of the developmental needs of Muslims,” Dr. Alam asserted. The centre and states are bound by the law to protect these properties, he said.
Dr. Alam urged the Union government and Government of Maharashtra to see to it that the Ambanis got a proper lease deed on payment of an appropriate sum as well as land rentals for the lease period.
“A waqf property belongs to God and cannot be sold or bought. It can only be leased and/or rented for a specific period,” he said and urged the governments at centre and in the state to work quickly to do justice.