BENGALURU: Former Karnataka State Minorities Commission chairman and joint spokesperson of state BJP, Anwar Manippady, on Monday sought the resignation of Muzrai, Haj and Wakf Minister Shashikala Jolle if she cannot protect Wakf Board properties. Addressing the media here, he urged the State Government to appoint a retired judge to conduct a probe based on his 2013 report and take the matter to its logical end.
He said the State Government has failed to address the issues of the minorities on all fronts and thus, has failed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s concept of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’. He also claimed that he had brought this issue to the notice of the PM, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and also to RSS functionary Mukund.
“They attribute lack of funds to take steps to safeguard Wakf properties worth over Rs 2.5 lakh crore. If she cannot protect the properties, she must step down,” he said. “The Jagadish Shettar Cabinet approved my report. It was not tabled in the Assembly... Also, no action was taken. When BS Yediyurappa was the CM, he just showed lip sympathy instead of taking action”, he rued.
He also attacked both Jolle and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy accusing them of electing Moulvi Shafi Saadi as the chairman of Wakf Board despite the latter facing corruption charges with regards to the grants he received for the construction of an existing compound of a mosque at Banashankari in Bengaluru.
“We got the payment stopped and the case is with the Lokayukta and in the High Court. The Wakf Board and the government are now trying to give it a twist which is also illegal,” he added.He also raised the issues of Wakf properties being mortgaged in Mysuru and even sold off in Kunigal of Tumakuru district. “Muslims are also being denied burial ground at Doddanagamangala near Bengaluru,” he added.