T-Cong demands full-fledged probe into Wakf properties

Hyderabad, Feb 25 (INN): The Congress party has demanded a full-fledged probe into the Wakf properties and all related affairs.

Briefing the media persons after participating in the first meeting of Telangana Legislature Committee on Wakf lands, Deputy CLP leader in Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir said that the Congress party has demanded a comprehensive probe into the Wakf affairs. “We have sought complete information on number of properties, encroachments and the ongoing disputes, especially between the Revenue and other government departments with the Wakf Board,” he said.

Shabbir Ali said that despite completion of second survey of Wakf properties, the Revenue Department has not completed the reconciliation work with its records. Further, many judgments that came in favour of Wakf Board were not incorporated in the government records. The Congress party has requested House Committee chairman Bajireddy Govardhan to call for entire records in the next meeting so as to get more clarity on the issue. Further, through the House Committee, the Wakf Board has been asked to furnish details of all Wakf properties which could be developed as per the amended Wakf Act, 2013, which provides for giving Wakf lands on lease for 33 years, he said while addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan.

The Congress MLC said that the House Committee chairman has been requested to issue directions to the District Collectors of Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy not to regularise disputed land under GO Ms No 58 and 59 if they are not enclosed with a NOC from Wakf Board. He expressed fears that encroachers might take advantage of regularisation drive to legalise their illegal possession on Wakf properties. He said that the government was not empowered to regularize or sell the Wakf properties.

Shabbir Ali informed that the House Committee chairman and Legislature Secretary S Raja Sadaram have assured to call for all relevant information from the departments concerned. They also assured that the HODs would also be directed to attend the meetings of House Committee without fail.

When asked, whether convening the first meeting of the House Committee was delayed and a mere eye-wash before the budget session of Telangana Legislature, Shabbir Ali reminded that he wrote separate letters to Assembly Speaker S Madhusudan Chary, Council Chairman Swamy Goud and also to Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on February 13 requesting them to convene the meeting at the earliest. He said it was only after sending the letter that the government took steps to begin the probe on Wakf properties.