Yogi Government To Dissolve Shia And Sunni Wakf Boards In Uttar Pradesh

The Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh has announced the dissolution of the Shia and Sunni Wakf boards in the state in light of the corruption charges against them, reports PTI. Minister of State for Wakf, Mohsin Raza, confirmed Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s assent in a press interaction.

Allegations of corruption, especially in property matters, have been made against the Shia and Sunni Wakf boards, and the dissolution has been initiated after taking into account all legal aspects, said Raza.

An inquiry by the Wakf Council of India (WCI) found several irregularities. Wasim Rizvi, chairman of the Shia Wakf Board, and former Samajwadi Party (SP) minister Azam Khan’s roles have also been under the WCI scanner. In the weeks following the results of the assembly elections – where the SP lost – Khan was indicted on charges of corruption, mismanagement and misuse of office.

After several complaints, a fact-finding committee was set up, headed by Syed Ejaz Abbas Naqvi. Raza had earlier submitted separate reports of the two boards from the WCI to the Chief Minister. The report explained the role of Azam Khan in misusing his office as a minister to grab property.

Khan allegedly set up the Maulana Johar Ali Education Trust and began diverting funds from Wakf properties. The reports also mention discrepancies in rent collections and recommend immediate dissolution of the Wakf boards and barring of all the accused from Wakf offices, pending investigation.

Khan maintained that the allegations against him were false.