Latest news with #Wakf
Hans India
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
AIMPLB to resume its demonstrations against the Wakf Act
Hyderabad: Expressing strong opposition against the Wakf (Amendment) Act, prominent Islamic scholars, legal experts and activists under the aegis of AIMPLB (All India Muslim Personal Law Board) decided to resume its demonstration. Calling for robust public mobilisation, Advisor to the Telangana Government Mohammed Ali Shabbir suggested the formation of coordination committees at the lowest levels to ensure the success of all agitation programmes led by AIMPLB. He also urged the Board to meet TPCC President Mahesh Kumar Goud and share their programme details, assuring that local Congress leaders would be involved in every step of the movement. Addressing a round table conference titled 'Save Wakf, Save Constitution Movement' organised by AIMPLB in City he assured full support to the board in its ongoing agitation against the Wakf Act. He said the Congress party would back all legal and democratic efforts to safeguard Wakf properties and uphold constitutional values. Shabbir Ali stated that the entire Congress leadership stood with the Board and called the recent amendments to the Wakf Act 'a direct assault not just on the Muslim community but on the Constitution itself.' 'The All India Muslim Personal Law Board is not alone in this fight. The Congress party is fully with you. We support all your moves, be they legal battles, public awareness campaigns, or protests,' he declared. Government Advisor informed the participants that the party was actively pursuing a legal challenge in the Supreme Court and expressed hope that a stay on the new Act would be secured. 'This is a battle for justice. This is about protecting constitutional guarantees for minorities,' he added.
Hans India
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
No final resting place for deceased Muslims in city
Hyderabad: While getting space for living is beyond the common man's reach in Hyderabad, it has become costlier for the dead. With open spaces shrinking due to new construction projects, land grabbers are laying their hands on graveyards, which is adversely impacting burials. The last few years saw the rise of this trend as the real estate value has hit the roof in the city. According to some Wakf activists owing to illegal encroachments on graveyards, several Gazette Notified Muslim graveyards are declared chock-a-block and there is no space for more burials. 'Many Muslim graveyards are under the control of land grabbers where dead bodies are not allowed to be buried. People are facing a lot of difficulties in finding burial space,' said Nayeemullah Shareef of Waqf Properties Protection Cell. As a result, burials have become costly affairs. Kin of the deceased have to shell down anything from Rs 10,000 to Rs one lakh depending on the spiritual value attached to the graveyard. Things will become easier if a family member lies buried in a grave and the family agrees to bury the new victim in the same grave. 'Taking advantage of the situation, caretakers of the graveyards are selling old grave space for up to Rs 30, 000. The rates are higher in graveyards inside big dargah premises. I request the state government to conduct a survey of Muslim graveyards in the city and remove all illegal encroachments. Graveyard caretakers must be asked to fix nominal charges for burial spaces, while those charging exorbitant amounts must face criminal charges,' demanded another activist, Mohd Habeebuddin. Habeeb pointed out that graveyards were vanishing in upmarket areas like Puppalguda due to rapid urbanisation. As per the Gazette published in 1984, the area is more than nine acres. 'This graveyard has now shrunk to 100 sq yards. This is the scale of encroachment with active political backing,' alleged Habeeb. In the past Wakf Board was accused of collusion with land grabbers. The graveyard committee of Dargah Syed Ali Kulle Shah Darvesh at Petbasheerabad under Quthbullapur alleged that whatever remained of the graveyard fell into the hands of the land sharks, with the active connivance of a Wakf inspector and its CEO in 2020. The committee had alleged that the Wakf Board had not only failed to protect its interests, but its officials were in nexus with the builder, who approached the High Court claiming the land parcel meant for graveyard at Survey No.39 of Petbasheerabad.
The Hindu
17-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
VCK to organise ‘Save Secularism' rally on June 14 in Tiruchi
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi has rescheduled its protest rally labelled 'Save Secularism' calling for a repeal of the Wakf Amendment Act, which was recently passed in the parliament, from May 31 to June 14, to give themselves time to mobilise their target of 'at least 5 lakh' people in Tiruchi. While the party leaders have said that the protest rally is being held in order to safeguard secularism in tune with its ideological position of opposing Hindutva forces, many admit that larger secular parties are impacted by the Hindutva political narrative that secular parties often privilege the interests of the minorities at the expense of the interest of the majority. Speaking at a press conference in Cuddalore, VCK president and Chidambaram M.P., Thol. Thirumavalavan, said, 'Apart from calling for a repeal of the Wakf act, the 'blue shirt' rally would also protest against BJP's attack on Constitution urging democratic forces should come together on one platform. I hope that all democratic forces join the 'Save Secularism' rally.' He once again said that the VCK continues to be in the DMK alliance. VCK general secretary D. Ravikumar, added that the party has significantly accommodated minorities within the party. 'All parties should provide more representation to Muslims. We have given one seat for a Muslim candidate (Aloor Shanavas) out of 6 seats allotted to us though our Muslim support base is not significant. We have accommodated them as office bearers and also as district secretaries,' he said. Asked if VCK would give more tickets to minorities in upcoming State Assembly elections, he said, 'If senior partner allots seats to us, we will accommodate more minorities and women.'
Time of India
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
No religion supports terror, right wing extremism on rise: Durai Vaiko
Madurai: MDMK leader and MP Durai Vaiko strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, reiterating that no particular religion supports terrorism. He was leading a protest by the MDMK against the Union govt over the Wakf amendment bill on Saturday in Madurai. "Be it Islam or Christianity, no religion permits or calls for terror. It is always a sin. But some right-wing Hindu and Islamic extremist groups are turning it into a religious issue when it is not, especially spewing hatred on social media platforms. It is a fact that other Muslims in Tamil Nadu or India have no links to the terrorists," said Durai Vaiko in his address. He added that humanity persisted even during the Pahalgam terror attack as Muslim brothers came together for the aid of their Hindu siblings. "The Union govt does not have answers to the opposition's questions on the rise in unemployment, the price hike of essentials, or working towards ensuring education and development. But they want the Wakf amendment bill to play religious politics," said Durai Vaiko. The MDMK protesters also sought the removal of Governor R N Ravi for acting against the welfare of the people.
India.com
26-04-2025
- Business
- India.com
Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani to vacate Rs 15000 crore Antilia? The lavish mansion is built on land once owned by..., Ambanis bought it for just Rs...
Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani's Antilia is one of the most expensive private homes in the world. The Antilia, the lavish mansion home of Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani, and his wife Nita Ambani, is one of the most expensive private residences in the world, valued at a whopping Rs 15000 crore (around USD 1.74 billion). However, the land upon which Ambani's grand 27-storey stands today originally belonged to an orphanage, and the land deal has been mired in controversy for nearly decades since the Reliance Industries chairman purchased it in 2005. What was there before Antilia? According to details, Antilia was built on a piece of land where the Currimbhoy Ebrahim Yateemkhana — an orphanage built by a wealthy businessman Sir Fazalbhoy Currimbhoy Ebrahim– used to stand. Currimbhoy, who belonged to the Khoja Muslim community, had built the orphanage in 1895 for orphans and destitute children of his community. Over the years, the Currimbhoy orphanage came under the control and management of the Maharashtra state Wakf board, who received permission to sell it Mukesh Ambani-owned Muffin-Antilia Commercial Private Limited in 2002. How much did Mukesh Ambani pay for Antilia land? According to reports, Mukesh Ambani paid a mere $2.5 million for the land against a market value of $18 million. Later, the Ambanis sought permission to build their grand home on the property, the building plan was approved by the BMC in 2003, and construction began in 2006. A recent affidavit filed in the Bombay High Court has claimed that the opulent mansion was built on land that was 'illegally' sold to Mukesh Ambani in 2005. As per a report by Livelaw, the affidavit submitted by Sandesh C Tadvi, joint secretary to the Minority Development Department and acting CEO of Maharashtra State Board of Wakfs, states that a 'mischief' was committed by the then chairman and CEO, when he ratified the sale of the orphanage land to Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani on March 9, 2025. Earlier, a Bombay High Court bench headed by Chief Justice Manjula Chellur, in an order dated July 21, 2017, had directed the State Board of Wakfs to clarify their stance on challenging the Charity commissioner's permission on the sale of the orphanage land. Antilia legal battle Notably, the then Maharashtra State Board of Wakfs deemed the transaction illegal and sent a notice to Antilia Commercial citing violation of Section 52 of the Wakf Act, 1995, which deals with the recovery of Wakf property transferred in contravention of Section 51 that bars the sale of any immovable Wakf property without the sanction of the Wakf Board. The notice was challenged before a Wakf Tribunal on April 22, 2004, and the CEO of the State Board of Wakfs settled the issue with the Trust during the suit, and the agreement was reached that the trustees would accept that the land had indeed been Wakf property. The tribunal ruled that an annual contribution be paid to the Wakf Board, and the trustees subsequently deposited Rs 16 lakh, as per Section 72 of Waqf Act, 1995, Notably, the trust had stated that the land on which Antilia stand today, was not a Wakf property, but later retracted their claim. In a recent statement AIMIM leader and Hyderabad MP, Asaduddin Owaisi, claimed the land on which Ambani's Antilia was built, was only meant to be used for charitable purposes, however, the Trust violated that mandate by selling the estate to Mukesh Ambani.
