Yogi Adityanath govt announces dissolution of Shia, Sunni waqf boards

The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday announced to dissolve the Shia and Sunni waqf boards in the state in the wake of corruption charges against them, news agency PTI reported. Speaking to PTI, the Minister of State for Waqf Mohsin Raza said that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has approved to the dissolution of the boards. Raza further said the dissolution process has been initiated after reports of corruption were found against the Shia and Sunni waqf boards related to their properties.

The chairman of the Shia Waqf Board, Wasim Rizvi along with minister for waqf in the previous Samajwadi Party government, Azam Khan, came under the scanner after an inquiry was conducted by the Waqf Council of India.A report submitted to the UP government by the fact-finding committee of the Central Waqf Council (CWC) had indicted Khan framing charges of corruption, mismanagement and misuse of office against him. After receiving multiple complaints against the waqf board in UP, a fact-finding committee was constituted, which was headed by Syed Ejaz Abbas Naqvi, who is also the in-charge of Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand waqf boards. Raja recently handed over separate reports of the Waqf Council with regard to the two boards to the chief minister.

The report states how Khan being a minister misused his position to grab properties under the boards. It also said that Kahn started a trust named Maulana Johar Ali Education Trust, through which he diverted funds from waqf properties to it. The report pointed out discrepancies in maintaining rent collection records on Waqf properties.

The report recommended dissolving of the UP waqf board immediately and a prohibition on the entry of accused in waqf offices till the investigation is pending. Meanwhile, Khan has stated that the allegations against him are baseless.