THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The question hour in the assembly on Tuesday witnessed a heated exchange over the Waqf Board appointment issue after Minority Affairs Minister V Abdurahiman made a provocative remark while replying to questions of Muslim League MLAs. The minister alleged that the Waqf land was handed over earlier to private parties by those who “wore green dresses in Kerala and saffron dresses in Uttar Pradesh”. Abdurahiman alleged that they handed over the land in Kuttikattoor and Taliparamba in this manner.
The minister’s remarks angered the League MLAs who protested against the statement and the state government’s move to entrust the appointment of Waqf Board members with the Kerala Public Service Commission and the Waqf land transfer deals.
The League MLAs also wanted the chair to expunge the minister’s statements. Some MLAs also came to the well of the house in protest. Opposition Leader V D Satheesan intervened and requested Speaker M B Rajesh to ask the ministers to answer the questions citing facts and figures and not provoke members.
Earlier, Abdurahiman made it clear that the state government would go ahead with entrusting the Waqf Board appointment with the PSC. He said the state government has a transparent stand on this issue. Immediately, the Opposition MLAs stood up and said the minister should not make political statements. He said political manipulations on Waqf issue were not right and the government would hold talks with those concerned.
Abdurahiman also said he would look into the transfer of Waqf land for public use. The Waqf Board does not want the League’s support. Later, the minister alleged that the League had handed over Waqf land to private parties who “were dressed in green in Kerala and saffron in UP”.
He said the Waqf Board had acquired land in Kasaragod to build a hospital jointly with Tata group during the pandemic. He also informed the assembly that the process of allotting land is in progress.