BENGALURU:The two-day national seminar on protection of Wakf properties, organised by the Wakf Board here on Saturday, witnessed a minor altercation after a few people barged into the seminar venue.
They held former Union minister K Rahman Khan responsible for the losses incurred by Amanath Co-operative Bank and its current financial condition. They also demanded that action be initiated against the former minister.
According to the organisers, the incident occurred after the inaugural programme, which was attended by Municipal Administration Minister Qamarul Islam and delegates from around the country. The national seminar was restricted to invitees only. However, the persons claiming to be depositors with the bank, started an altercation, disrupting the proceedings. Rahman Khan was not present at that time, which further infuriated the gate-crashers.
Set up Tribunals
Speaking at the event, Rahman Khan said there is no point in amending the Wakf Act 1995 if the government does not set up tribunals to try the pending cases.
Khan said the Act had been amended on November 1, 2013, but multi-member tribunals have not been set up. “Cases are pending with the Board for two years...” he said. On the issue of leasing rentals, Khan said with the amendment being brought in, about 5 per cent of market value of the wakf property will be collected as rent.
Dr Qamarul Islam, Minister for Minority Welfare & Wakf Department, said that the Karnataka Board of Auqaf had completed survey of 80 per cent of the Wakf properties in the state. “The CM had announced the setting up of a task force for the removal of encroachment and protection of wakf properties in the state,” he said.