Akbaruddin Owaisi urges Telangana government to protect Waqf lands

Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi on Wednesday said his party supports the decision of the KCR government to raid the office of Telangana State Waqf Board. Owaisi said a full-fledged inquiry should be launched into affairs of the board and said those who looted and grabbed waqf land and properties should be jailed.

During a short discussion on minority welfare in the Assembly, Owaisi said those living on waqf property for a pittance as rent should pay market value or face action. He said waqf staff was resorting to irregularities and wanted the state government to conduct a thorough investigation into allegations against them.He also urged the state government to protect waqf



lands from encroachments and make use of them for creating assets, including government offices, educational and health institutions and establishment minority women empowerment centres in properties.

Referring to huge salaries being drawn by waqf board employees, Owaisi said even a watchman's salary is `40,000 and the one who just takes care of tappal earns `80,000 as salary. Four to six members from same family are employed in the wakf board, he said. Owaisi urged chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to swiftly convene a meeting of all waqf board members so that the issue is sorted out early. He also detailed the extent of waqf land encroachments, district-wise.