Bengaluru: Social activist Syed Ashraf on Sunday accused Karnataka’s Minister for Minority Affairs, Zameer Ahmed Khan, of favouritism in the appointment of Anwar Basha as the state Waqf Board’s Chairman despite his alleged involvement in land encroachment.
Ashraf alleged political interference in the functioning of the Waqf Board and other minority institutions, which compromised their integrity.
With the election for Waqf Board Chairman set for Monday, Ashraf and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Vice President Obaidullah Sharif have urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to intervene and ensure the election of a candidate with a clean image, not a political puppet like Anwar Basha, who faces serious encroachment allegations.
Ashraf alleged that Basha has encroached upon 2.5 acres of a graveyard in Chitradurga, where a house and college have been built. Human skeletal remains were reportedly found during construction. He questioned why such a person was being considered and demanded transparency in the selection process.
He also accused Khan of illegally appointing his associates to key positions in the Minority Affairs Department, which he alleged disregarded merit and constitutional principles. “The Waqf Board belongs to the community, not any minister. It must be led by someone with integrity,” Ashraf asserted.
Obaidullah Sharif also appealed to the CM to stop appointing individuals with criminal backgrounds to head prestigious institutions like the Waqf Board.
Assuring a fair and politically unbiased selection process was the main concern, Ashraf said. “Nominees who are accused of land grabbing cannot be accepted,” he said.
Both activists asked the government to maintain accountability and openness and pledged to keep fighting corruption in the Waqf Board.
