The Uttarakhand government will probe, identify and take back state Waqf Board properties encroached by the influential muslim community members to follow UP pattern of developing homes for poor and needy people on them.

Uttarakhand BJP has stated that “We will investigate and unearth all 5700 Uttarakhand Waqf properties being misused by only a few influential people against the purposes they were meant for. These properties were never used for the rehabilitation and development of poor, needy, youths and women but  handed out to a select group of  influential people at throw away prices  for developing five star hotels and other usages.

“However after implementation of Waqf Amendment Act by the centre these properties will be identified and every inch of them will be used for the well being of the people, state and the nation” said chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami as he announced that his government will launch Waqf awareness campaign titled “The rights of the poor will be given only to the poor” from June 20 to May 5, 2025.

Dhami stated that his government will ensure that state Waqf properties are used for opening educational institutions and providing services for  the poor youths and downtrodden section of the community.

He said “through Waqf Amendment Act of the centre government will ensure that Uttarakhand Waqf is used for the welfare of pasmanda brothers and muslim community sisters without any  interference in the religious sanctity of the board. Every inch of the board’s land in the state will be examined and taken care of.”

Dushyant Gautam, BJP’s National General Secretary and Uttarakhand in-charge who was also a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 said that misuse of Uttarakhand Waqf Board properties will be stoped and freed from the encroachers for their judicious management and distribution.

“Permanent houses will be built on the freed Waqf lands similar to the Uttar Pradesh government for poor muslim women, divorced and widows and orphan children under Prime Minister housing schemes. Waqf properties should be used justifiably for the welfare of the poor. We will remove all illegal occupants from these properties through the law. Facilities like hospitals, educational institutions and community buildings will be developed for the poor people.”

Gautum stated that those opposed to the Waqf Amendment Act will not be able to show their faces once the encroached properties are developed by the state government.

Uttarakhand Waqf Board Chairman Shadab Shams on the other hand  informed that board members in the past made gross misuse of the unlimited powers given to them in the past.

 “They not only allowed board properties to be encroached but also grabbed large scale government and private land in the grab of the Waqf Board. A large number of its victims are from the muslim community. Most of the encroachments were done upon by Congress-Indi alliance leaders, Waqf Board and Muslim Personal Law Board officials. Now these land grabbers will face the music” said Shams.

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