New Delhi: Small get together of Alumni Association Jamia Millia Islamia Bihar chapter held in Jamia campus on dated 3rd March 2019. Special invitee Mr. AJ Khan, IRS (Retd) and Mr. Salim B Mulla were present in the meeting to discussion on Wakf properties in India.
“In India, there are almost 4,60,000 odd Waqf properties which are indifferently managed. Some estimates on record say that this figure is around 7,00,000 acres. If we talk about an off-record waqf property, then this is even higher.” said Akramul Jabbar Khan, a retired IRS and the advisor of Maharashtra Waqf Liberation And Protection Task Force.
He said, “After railway and defence, the largest property vests with Waqf. Had we utilized it properly, not just the Muslims’ but the country’s condition would have been improved enormously. In a country where almost 50 per cent population lives in poverty needing scarce finance for education, medical, legal and other incidental, unavoidable expenses wastage of limited resource is a cardinal sin.”
He informed all the participants about the waqf properties and how it can be used for the community. He educated everyone about the legalities of Auqaaf. He threw light on who are encroaching upon the waqf and how can we get them back. The functions of Waqf Board were also discussed along with some suggestions.
Saleem Ullah, the founder president at ‘Maharashtra Waqf Liberation and Protection Task Force’ talked about their organization and how it has been working for the cause of waqf. He informed that this organization is set to start India’s first National Skills and Vocational University for Muslims on 100 acres of land in Aurangabad with a financial budget of Rs 100 crore by the Maharashtra State Government.
“The University will now be built in Aurangabad and the state’s finance ministry has sent approval for the same. The Finance Ministry has directed the Aurangabad district collector to mark availability of 100 acres of land for the University”, he informed.
Moid Tungekar who came from Pune had also joined the meeting and presented his thoughts on waqf. With that, he also informed about his work and about proton therapy which is used to treat cancer. He said that he is putting all his efforts to build and open up the first hospital in India where cancer could be treated by proton therapy on his waqf property.
A Jamia alumnus, Pervez Alam who is a young and dynamic IRS officer also shared his thoughts on waqf. He said that it is important that our youth are well informed and aware of waqf and protect these waqf properties completely. He said that wherever there is this property, a board should be displayed that it belongs to the waqf.
This meeting was organized by recently formed ‘Alumni Association Jamia Millia Islamia Alumni Association (AAJMI) Bihar Chapter’. Many research scholars, journalists and professors participated in this meeting.