Housing Ministry de-stamps Congress’s charity to Waqf

In politics, it’s common practice to pass on the buck of serious challenges to the future governments instead of stirring the hornet’s nest. Putting an end to this regressive thinking, the Modi government has been tackling problems that are plaguing our nation head on. The prominent being the menace to placate for the demand of the radical fringe elements rather than improving social parameters of everyone in the community.

However, PM Modi has been ushering in this new change through two steps. First, he follows a vision to achieve saturation of every welfare scheme. At the same time, the government is making sure that everyone follows the rules and respects other people’s rights.

The recent example of nullifying the regressive order of the previous UPA government is a testament of this well-established policy now.

Centre reclaims 123 properties from the illegal occupation of Waqf board

Recently, the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs de-notified 123 properties in Delhi as properties of the Delhi Waqf Board.

The Land and Development Office under the Ministry wrote a letter to the Delhi Waqf Board Chairman Amanatullan Khan. The letter stated that it had constituted a two-member committee to look into the matter of “de-notified Waqf properties”.

Further, the Land and Development Office in the letter stated that, it had formed this 2-member committee as per a 2014 order by the Delhi High Court. The 2-member committee was headed by Retired Delhi High Court Judge S P Garg and included Retd SDM Radha Charam as the other member.

This stern action against illegal encroachment and usurping of public property was conveyed by posting these orders outside these 123 properties in question. The said properties include mosques, dargahs and cemeteries.

The notices pasted outside these properties included the submissions of the report that was submitted by the court appointed 2-member committee. The report stated that, as per terms of reference, the committee gave ample opportunity to Delhi Waqf Board, the main stakeholder in this matter. Yet, the Waqf board opted not to appear before the court.

While absolving Delhi Waqf Board from all matters, the Letter submitted by the two-member committee also directed to carry out physical inspection of these 123 properties.

The letter said, “It is evident that the Delhi Waqf Board does not have any stake in the listed properties. Neither they have shown any interest in the properties nor filed any objections/claims. It is, therefore, decided to absolve Delhi Waqf Board from all matters pertaining to ‘123 Waqf properties.’ Physical inspection of all 123 properties shall also be carried out.”

The meltdown among the Islamists and ilk

Congress and AAP leaders are notorious for crying foul over anything and everything. Ironically, the AAP leaders have suffered terrible humiliation in this case as they did during their alleged EVM tampering fiasco. When asked to substantiate their claim by hacking the EVM machine, they were left red faced then and the same is clear in this Waqf property usurping case.

Occupying the position of Chairman of Delhi Waqf Board, Amanatullah Khan failed to muster time and resources to prove their claim on these properties before the 2-member committee.

Read More: Are Waqf Boards even legal? An answer is expected soon

However, after this de-notification drive by the Union Ministry, AAP leader and Delhi Waqf Board Chairman Amanatullah Khan woke up from his slumber. He made a tweet to vent his frustration by crying foul in the matter.

Coincidentally, rather than proving the merit of Delhi Waqf board on these properties, ironically, he claimed that the Waqf Board would not allow “any kind of encroachment” on Waqf properties.

He alleged that there were no instructions to form a two-member committee in the 2014 HC order. He further added that the Delhi Waqf Board had contested the formation of this committee and the matter was pending before the High Court.

Read More: Modern Problems require Yogi Solutions: Survey of Waqf Properties Next

Unravelling the Timeline of this Case

The UPA administration de-notified these 123 premium properties on March 5, 2014, thereby legitimising the Waqf board’s unlawful property appropriation.

Documents reveal that 62 of these properties were with the Delhi Development Authority, whereas 61 were with the Land and Development Office, both under the Union Urban Development Ministry (DDA). It must be highlighted that Kamal Nath served as the Ministry’s director at the time the cabinet authorized the move.

High-value properties in areas like Connaught Place, Janpath, Mathura Road, and Karol Bagh are among the unlawful properties that the UPA surrendered. By surrendering these ownership rights, the Delhi Wakf Board was able to construct on and renovate these properties.

Read More: UPA government was hell bent on selling the entire Delhi to Wakf Board

This obvious appeasement strategy, however, was quickly challenged in court. The UPA’s surrender was challenged in the Delhi High Court by the Indraprastha team of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). The UPA government was accused by the VHP of showing “undue favour” to the minority group.

The VHP appeal was dismissed by the High Court in August 2014, asking the Union government’s Land and Development Office make suitable judgements after consulting with all parties involved. But, the court strongly ordered to maintain the status quo, preventing the assets from coming under Delhi Wakf Board’s illegitimate authority.

The Union government set up a one-person committee in this topic in 2016. In 2017, it handed in its report. The Central government, however, dismissed the ambiguous report. The Modi administration later created a two-member Committee for the same task in August 2018. In November 2021, the Delhi Development Authority sought public representation regarding the properties. In March of 2022, the Union government received a notice by the Delhi High Court in this property transfer dispute.

Appeasement politics sure short path to destruction

A nation charts the route of its debacle when it starts using its finite resources to further political motives. The spineless policy devoid of merit dubbed as appeasement politics reached its zenith when the UPA government realised that it had no chance of coming back to power. Consequently, it surrendered these 123 properties in prominent areas to change the fate of the slated 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

The infamous British PM Winston Churchill once said, “An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.”

With blatant misappropriation of public property, it seems that appeasement politics is one of the favourites go to tools for Congress and its ecosystem. Its leader throughout history and successive governments have avoided confrontation with radical or extremist elements.

However, the consequences of such policies can be severe. They forget that the desperation to empower fringe elements within a community only leads to an escalation of their demands and further alienates the moderate voices. Their rhetorical vile commentary may appeal to the baser instincts of a small group for some time, but it does nothing to uplift the populace as a whole. Instead of caving to the demands of a vocal minority, the leaders should strive to build consensus and work towards the betterment of all citizens. Appeasement politics may provide a temporary respite, but it is not a sustainable solution in the long run.

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