TMJAC Supports Action Against Mutawallis

Tahreek Muslim Shabban President and Telangana Muslim JAC Convener Mohammad Mushtaq Mallik on Tuesday strongly defended the action being taken by Wakf Board Special Officer Shaik Mohammad Iqbal against the erring Mutawallis (caretakers) of Dargahs and other institutions.

Mushtaq Mallik refuted the allegations of Mutawallis and a few other groups who accused the Special Officer of targeting a specific school of thought.

He said that some Mutawallis, who are allegedly involved in the sale of Wakf lands and other irregularities, were trying to divert attention by linking the Wakf Board officer with a particular school of thought and with organisations like RSS/VHP.

It was unethical on the part of some clerics to level allegations against any official without having any proof, he said in a media statement.

He also said that some Mutawallis were wrongly trying to project the Wakf lands as their ancestral property.

Mushtaq Mallik said that the Wakf Board had suspended Syed Akbar Nizamuddin Hussaini from the Mutawalliship of Dargah Hazrath Shah Khamosh (RA) on serious allegations of sale of Wakf land and other financial irregularities.

Until the Wakf Board completed its enquiry, the religious personalities should stay away from such matters, to facilitate a fair probe, he said.

He alleged that instead addressing the media conference himself to counter the allegations levelled against him, Akbar Nizamuddin tried to use a group of eminent religious personalities as a shield to avoid facing an enquiry. He said that Nizamuddin should himself face the investigation and come out clean.

He said that it was wrong to link Wakf Board Special Officer with any school of thought. He stated that Shaik Iqbal took action against Mahboob Alam Khan and K M Arifuddin, who were allegedly involved in irregularities in Wakf properties where prestigious institutions like the Anwar-ul-Uloom Colleges, the Mumtaz College and the Madina Group of Institutions are located.

Mushtaq Mallik said that Syed Akbar Nizamuddin reportedly told an enquiry officer of the Wakf Board that he was running a "langar" in Madina Munawarra. He sought to know how Akbar Nizamduddin transferred the money from Hyderabad to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to carry out those activities. He should clarify whether the money was transferred through legal channels or through hawala transactions, Mallik demanded.

The TMJAC chief also contended that good actions by an active official should be praised by the religious heads. They should encourage him in taking action against corrupt and erring Mutawallis and Sajjadanasheens, while pressurising him to take action all those involved in the encroachment and misuse of Wakf land and institutions, he suggested.

Mushtaq Mallik also condemned some religious groups for trying to give a regional twist to the actions of the Wakf Board Special Officer against tainted Mutawallis

He said that no Wakf property, located in Telangana, Rayalaseema, Andhra or any other part of the country, could be allowed to be encroached upon or sold by a Mutawalli or any other person.

Therefore, there was nothing wrong if an officer from the Andhra cadre punished a Mutawalli of the Telangana region for sale or misuse of Wakf land, he stated. (INN)