Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has expressed his anger over the attempts to convert thousands of acres of waqf lands into commercial uses. He made it clear that the lands would be used only for the development and welfare of Muslim minorities. He expressed his anger over the notification being issued for commercial purposes without even telling the government.
He ordered that the notification issued by the Waqf Board on the 3rd of this month be immediately cancelled, accepting applications from interested parties. He has issued instructions to the Minority Welfare Department to take immediate steps to protect the waqf lands. In the wake of the CM’s orders, the Minority Welfare Department directed the Waqf Board to withdraw the recently issued notification.
It is learnt that the Chief Minister called a key official and sought an explanation on it. ”I gave clarity about the waqf lands in the meeting held in December. I ordered that those lands should be used for the welfare and development of Muslim communities and that there should be no space for businesses. Why did they go to those lands without my knowledge?”, he asked.
He asserted that there is no peace in waqf lands even if a yard of land is beyond your reach. He wondered who did the CEO of the Waqf Board ask and give that notice? Why didn’t you give information to the Minister and Secretary of the Minority Department? Call them and talk to them and cancel that notice immediately, he added.
Later, it was learned that the CMO called the officials of the Minority Welfare Department and talked to them. Later, the Minority Welfare Department officials have informed the CMO that ‘it is not appropriate for the CEO of the Waqf Board to issue notices without any permission or approval from the government”.
Minority Welfare Department Secretary Chittoor Sridhar issued a statement explaining that the commercial advertisement given by the Waqf Board has been ordered to be withdrawn.
Meanwhile, Waqf Board Chairman Abdul Aziz revealed that there are 50 house thieves who are stealing Waqf lands and announced that the house thieves will be identified and eliminated. He said that the CM has said that the properties of Hindu temples should be protected in the same way as Waqf properties.