Agencies
Srinagar, Oct 13: Under mounting criticism from all quarters over invoking recent amendments in the Waqf board law and retaining the position of chairman Waqf board, the Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Satya Pal Malik has started reviewing his decision to withdraw the amendments and keep the control with one of his three Advisors holding charge of Haj and Auqaf department. The placement of new Waqf Board chairman is expected soon.
Top sources while disclosing this to Kashmir News Service revealed that following public criticism over his decision to keep the control of Waqf board with him, the Governor Malik has been advised by his Advisors and some top bureaucrats to withdraw the controversial amendments and keep the control of Waqf Board with one of his three Advisors holding charge of Haj and Auqaf department who is the only Advisor belonging to Muslim community in the three member team of the Advisors of Governor Satya Pal Malik.
It is in place to mention here that Governor holds the charge of Chairman Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board as per the Board Act even during popular rule in the state and similarly the position of Chairman Waqf Board is always held by Chief Minister of the state and never held by Governor during Governor’s rule in the state as the Waqf Board act doesn’t allow any non-Muslim to occupy the position.
Interestingly, the shrine board has established universities and medical institutes in Jammu region from the revenue generated by the board from the donations of people for different Hindu shrines but Waqf board has failed to establish any university and medical institute from the revenues board is generating from the public donations in different shrines, according to KNS correspondent.
The civil society groups have many times in the past sought the appointment of a politically neutral man of high integrity as chairman Waqf Board to ensure judicious use of funds generated from the public donations in different Muslim shrines across the state.
Even the previous Waqf Board chairman and members are facing allegations of embezzling funds and committing institutional frauds. The inquiry though demanded from people of all shades is yet to be initiated to dig out the roots of allegations.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Kashmir Monitor staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
