Bengaluru: The Karnataka Wakf Protection Joint Action Committee on Monday met the Minister for Municipal Administration and Wakf, Qamar ul Islam and asked for the removal of Wakf appointee member Khalid Ahmed from the board. The committee threatened to launch an agitation if, Ahmed’s appointment is not cancelled within eight days.
Speaking exclusively to The Cognate, committee president and president of Tippu Sultan United Front, Sardar Ahmed Quraishi said alleging that, Khalid Ahmed is a close associate of Qamar ul Islam, who in 1998, had issued false declaration letter stating Ahmed as a vice chairman and trustee of Hazrath Shaik Minhajuddin Ansari Kallerawan Charitable Trust, of which Mr. Islam was the chairman. Mr. Quraishi claimed that, “it was on this fraudulent basis Khalid Ahmed was nominated to the Karnataka State Board of Wakfs.”
Mr. Quraishi said that in 2011, M. J. Ali, general secretary of the committee and one Mir Saifulla, had challenged the nomination of Ahmed before the division bench headed by Chief Justice of High Court of Karnataka. “The Court in its order dated 1/6/2001 had set aside his (Khalid Ahmed) nomination, however, he approached the Supreme Court and obtained a stay order on the case, and occupied the office of Chairman of Karnataka State Board of Wakfs and continued in the office till 2009.”
According to Section 16(e) of the Wakf Act, once a member or a mutawalli (caretaker) is removed from the office by an order of a competent court or tribunal from any position of trust either for mismanagement or corruption, the person becomes disqualified from being appointed or from continuing as a member of the board.
“Therefore Khalid Ahmed is ineligible and disqualified to be nominated as member of the board,” concluded Mr. Quraishi.
He further alleged saying, “there are number of allegations and charges of misdeeds, illegally disposing of prime Wakf lands and misuse of power, against him.”
In fact, the Minority Welfare Department referred one such allegation and charge to COD police of investigation, who in turn sought permission from the government to prosecute Ahmed and others in the criminal court of law for justice.
The committee also charged Qamar ul Islam of “rescuing” Ahmed, and accused him of refusing to give sanction to COD police from prosecuting him.
They told The Cognate, that Ahmed is been nominated as a representative of an eminent Muslim organisation, which is a criteria for selecting a board member. “The Muslim community and our Joint Action Committee rejects this appointment. This is unacceptable.”
The Committee threatened to protest and start an awareness campaign in every mosque in the city if Ahmed appointment is not cancelled.
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Shaik Zakeer Hussain is the Founder and Editor of The Cognate.
