Prominent Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawwad has opposed the projects for the beautification of the old city areas.
He said in the name of developing the heritage areas of the old city particularly Hussainabad and bada Imambara are being developed as entertainment centres.
He said the land belong to the Hussainabad trust and belongs to the Shia community and commercial property including shops are being constructed. He said these are religious places and should not be used for commercial purposes. He said the shops constructed on the land of Hussainabad trust be given only to the Shia community. He said he is raising this demand only because the Shias are never considered for the allotment of shops constructed by the trusts of other communities.
Maulana said come what may Shia community will never allow the use of Bada Imambara as entertainment centre. He said the state government may have spent crores of the beautification and development of this area, the Imambara can never be converted into an entertainment center.
Maulana said that the district magistrate of lucknow has been informed of our decision but the common people also needs to be sensitised towards this issue as the issue at stake was the property of the community. Maulana Jawwad said despite the protest by the Shia community against the irregularities in the management of the waqf properties there is no let up in enchroaments and illegal constructions on the waqf land.