Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan said that he was ready for a probe by Central Bureau of investigation into alleged financial irregularities in Shia and Sunni waqf boards.
Khan accused the BJP government of recommending a CBI probe with ulterior motive of humiliating Muslims and communal polarization.
“let them do whatever they want against me. I am not concerned. The government could do anything against me. The minister has no role in affairs of the waqf boards as they are autonomous bodies and competent to manage their affairs. The BJP government’s sole objective is to create communal hatred,” alleged Khan in a statement issued at Rampur on Saturday.
The SP leader continued, “I as Minority Affairs minister in the previous government had recommended a CBI probe into irregularities in waqf boards. Chairman of Shia waqf board Wasim Rizvi had also written to the UP government recommending a CBI probe,” said Khan.
Condemning the Yogi government for dissolution of the Shia and Sunni waqf boards, Khan said, “I condemn the state government’s move. Its unconstitutional. Waqf boards in states are constituted as per Central Waqf Act and there is no provision for dissolution of boards in the law.”
Claiming that no financial irregularities took place in the waqf boards during his tenure as minister of Waqfs and Minority Affairs, Khan said, “There is a long list of development works in Minority affairs department which are held up for various reasons. Whatever money was spent no account is available with the state government.”
Meanwhile, the UP government sacked six of the ten members of Shia waqf board, who were nominated by the previous Akhilesh government. On June 15, the Yogi government dissolved Shia and Sunni waqf boards and recommended a CBI probe into financial irregularities in both boards.
Official sources said that notices were issued to Chairpersons of both boards and action would follow soon. The government has also sought legal opinion for sacking the Chairpersons of both the boards.
The sacked members are : former Rajya Sabha member Akhtar Hussain Rizvi, Sayeed Wali Haider, Ashafa Zaidi, Sayeed Azim Hussain Zaidi , Alima Zaidi and Special Secretary in state government Nazmul Hasan Rizvi. All sacked members were said to be close to SP leader Azam Khan.
Chairman of Shia waqf board Wasim Rizvi said that the state government was working in haste and its objective of dissolving the board was to protect Minister of state for Minority Affairs Mohsin Raza against whom the board had lodged an FIR for corruption in a waqf case at Unnao.
“If the government moves for the dissolution of board, I would be left with no option but to move the court against the arbitrary stand of the government,” Rizvi said.