Hyderabad: Supreme Court lawyer Mahmood Paracha has emphasized the responsibility of every Muslim to protect the Waqf properties for the sake of Allah Almighty. Speaking at a seminar on “Protecting the Constitution and Our Responsibilities” at the Abid Ali Khan Centenary Hall at the Office of The Siasat Daily, Paracha called for Muslims to exercise their powers under Articles 5 and 6 of the Constitution and actively protect Waqf properties. In addition to Paracha, Managing Editor, Zaheeruddin Ali Khan and President of Sufi Council Maulana Syed Khairuddin Sufi also spoke at the seminar.
Paracha expressed concern about the deteriorating condition of Waqf properties in Telangana and alleged that Muslim leaders meet with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the next day more than 109 Waqf properties are occupied in Delhi. He said that Muslims should question the government and the relevant institutions about Waqf properties and that if Muslims take serious care of Waqf properties in Telangana state, then they will not have to depend on the reservations or welfare schemes of the state government.
Mahmood Paracha alleged that Zionist and Manuwadi forces are working together to dismantle the country’s constitutional system. He further stated that communal forces never had the intention of establishing a democratic India since independence. This was the reason why the country was divided into two parts. Paracha blamed the Manuwadi forces for the partition of the country and claimed that they were aware that if India had not been divided, Muslims would have been the majority and it would have directly benefitted them as Muslims have been taught the values of justice and equality. Expressing deep regret, he condemned the top leadership of Muslims for betraying them in favour of Aryans and the BJP.
Referring to Articles 6 and 7 of the Constitution, Paracha said that every Muslim has the right to protect the amanah (trust) of Allah Almighty and can question the government and the concerned department about it. He appealed to the Muslim youth of Telangana to take out two hours every day and identify the Waqf lands of their respective localities and become active for its protection. He said that the issue of land of precious Lanco Hills of Telangana can be taken up again in the Supreme Court and that the court will have to tell that the government has cheated.
Zaheeruddin Ali Khan, the Managing Editor of Siasat Daily, highlighted the issue of unauthorised occupation of Waqf lands in Telangana. He specifically mentioned that the Eidgah Guttalla Begumpet, a 190-acre Wakf land in the region, is currently occupied by unauthorised individuals.
During his speech, Khan blamed the political parties in power for the unlawful occupation of Wakf lands. He stated that while the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party were in power in Andhra Pradesh, the Muslim leaders of these parties were responsible for the unauthorised occupation. He further added that even the BRS party, which is currently in power, has not taken any significant steps to address the issue.
He highlighted the enormous amount of Waqf lands in Telangana, which he estimated to be worth 10 lakh crore. He emphasised the importance of recovering and restoring these lands to improve the lives of Muslims in the state.
Referring to the recent incidents of mob violence, he narrated the story of the plight of the family members of the deceased. He also advised the Muslim community to focus on social media in addition to saving Waqf lands. He expressed concern over the censorship of ANI, NDTV media handles on Twitter and Siasat’s handle on Facebook.
The seminar attendees proposed several suggestions, including the establishment of a Hyderabad Chapter of Save Constitution Foundation and the announcement of a Million March for the protection of Wakf lands. They also decided to restart the fight for recovery of three important valuable Wakf lands in Hyderabad, namely Eidgah Guttala Begumpet, Lanco Hills and GMR Airport.
In the first phase, Lanco Hills, Guttala Begumpet Idgah and Hyderabad Airport (GMR) will be taken up by Paracha and his team.
