Acting on the advice of Central Waqf Council the Uttar Pradesh Government has announced dissolution of the Shia and Sunni Waqf boards saying both the boards have become the “den of corruption” during previous regime and has even decided to recommend CBI probe against them.
Minister of State for Waqf Mohsin Raza told The Pioneer that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has given his approval for dissolution of both the Waqf Boards following recommendation of the fact finding team of the Central Waqf Council which found corruption in day to day dealing of the Board.
“The dissolution process has been started after taking into account all legal aspects. The volume of corruption is so high that Government has made up its mind to ask for CBI probe”, the minister said and added that there have been serious allegations of corruption against the Shia and Sunni waqf boards related to their properties.
He said corruption ranges from grabbing Waqf properties by the members to diversion of funds for personal institutions like Malauana Aki Jauhar University..
A fact finding team of the Central Waqf Council has found anomalies in the working of Shia and Sunni Waqf Board. It has also raised questions over the role of the chairman of the Shia Waqf Board, Wasim Rizvi, as well as the Haj and Muslim welfare minister in SP Government Md Azam Khan.
The committee headed by Syed Ejaz Abbas Naqvi has alleged corruption and mismanagement in working of both the Boards. It also alleged that few powerful people in then government misused their position to grab Waqf Board’s properties.
The team had recommended that both the Waqf Boards should be dissolved immediately and all accused officials be barred from entering waqf offices pending investigation.
The Waqf Minister said that after CM got that report he immediately ordered dissolution of both the boards.