Shia bodies demand removal of UP wakf board chief

Alleging that many Shia wakfs in the state have been illegally sold by the officials of UP Shia Central Wakf Board,two Shia organisations – All India Central Board of Azadari (AICBA) and Husaini Tanzim of India (HTI) – on Saturday demanded the government should remove Wasim Rizvi,chairman of the board from his post and order an inquiry into the illegal sale of Shia wakfs.

At a press conference,general secretary of AICBA Meesam Rizvi,and Hidayat Nawab,president of HTI,said they will also take out a protest march from Dargah Hazrat Abbas in Saadatganj area up to Vidhan Sabha on October 9 as their campaign to protect Shia wakfs.

President of AICBA and Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad said he was not aware of the role of chairman Wasim Rizvi in the illegal sale of wakf properties and told that he would look into the details after coming to city. However,he added that an inquiry must be ordered into the illegal sale and encroachment on Shia wakfs in the state.

When contacted,Wasim Rizvi said Hidayat Nawab was levelling baseless allegations against him because he had removed Hidayat from the post of mutawalli of two wakfs after finding irregularities in management of wakf funds.