4 states alone have 10 lakh acres as Hindu endowment land, 9.40 lakh acres Waqf countrywide a far cry: Asad

Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi sought to challenge the notion that 9.40 lakh acres in the country were Waqf land. He underscored that four Indian states alone have over 10 lakh acres under Hindu endowments.

Addressing the Jalsa Rahmatul-lil-Alameen, an annual public meeting in honour of Prophet Muhammad’s birth anniversary, late on Friday night, Mr. Owaisi said, “In Tamil Nadu, temple and math land account for 4.78 lakh acres. In Andhra Pradesh, Hindu endowment land cover 4 lakh acres. In Telangana, 87,000 acres belong to Hindu endowments, and in Odisha, 13 temples control 12,776 acres, according to CAG. These four states alone amount to 10 lakh acres, and I haven’t even added Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Bengal, Assam, and Jharkhand.”

Mr. Owaisi took potshots at those demanding the formation of a separate Dargah Board, calling them rang birangay (colourful) jokers,” engaged in drama. He dismissed a claim of one of them being a janasheen (successor) of Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz, and referred to them as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Janasheen.

He alleged that these people receive ₹2 crore annually with a 5% increment from the Dargah, and questioned their commitment to social welfare. “Of the ₹2 crore that you are swallowing, how much work have you done for the poor, widows and orphans?” Mr. Owaisi questioned and criticised their support for the Waqf Amendment Bill, accusing them of being shameless. “If you say this is Sufism, and your customs and rituals are different, tell me whether they are in line with the Sharia or not? If yes, then a new law is not required, the present law is sufficient. If not, then it is your will,” he said.

Mr. Owaisi also expressed confidence that Mr. Modi’s tenure would soon come to an end, predicting that BJP would face defeat in the upcoming elections in Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana. He was optimistic of his party’s prospects in the Maharashtra Assembly elections too.

Calling for unity against the proposed Waqf Amendment Bill, Mr. Owaisi warned that the Bill seeks to destroy the concept of Waqf. “When the time comes to protest, will you stand with us, or will you dance to a DJ’s tunes? Will you defend Allah’s masjid, the dargahs of the auliya, the graveyards of your forefathers, and the khanqahs?” he asked.

Why support Hasina?

About foreign policy, Mr. Owaisi criticised Mr. Modi for extending support to Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina, and accused him of formulating a foreign policy on the basis of his “personality and individuality”. He questioned, “Why did you invite her here? I say this without hesitation. Bangladesh is our neighbour. If Pakistan gains a foothold there, they will commit terrorism on Indian soil.” He also referenced the 2005 Task Force office blast in Hyderabad, a suicide attack carried out by a Bangladeshi national.

Flays Bandi over madrassa remark

Besides, Mr. Owaisi minced no words to criticise Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar over his controversial remarks linking madrassas to terrorism and arms training. He accused Mr. Kumar of Islamophobia and challenged him, asking, “What kind of minister are you? Did you find an AK-47 in any madrassa?”

He also addressed the ongoing unrest in Manipur, where over 800 weapons looted from police armouries remain unrecovered. “Go to Manipur now,” Mr. Owaisi said. “Hundreds of Christian women were raped. Why don’t you visit Manipur, Mr. Minister, with full security?”

Anguished over the unruly behaviour during the Milad juloos, Mr. Owaisi expressed uncertainty over the continuance of processions. Coming down heavily on the use of DJs (high decibel mobile music systems), he said that these were unacceptable. “I don’t know if Milad juloos will be taken out or not next year, but DJ is unacceptable... The government should take a decision. Put an end to DJ. There is no need,” he said.

Published - September 21, 2024 07:06 pm IST