M Aamir Khan
Srinagar: Newly appointed Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board Chairperson Dr. Darakhshan Andrabi said upgradation of the shrines of the union territory would remain her top priority.
Talking to The Kashmir Monitor after being appointed as first woman chairperson of the Waqf Board, she said money donated to the Kashmir valley-based shrines would be utilized in setting up hospitals, guest houses, ‘langars’, and other facilities for the devotees.
“Wakf belongs to the nation and its people. All shrines have been made on Waqf land and whatever the income it gets is called baitul maal. This bait-ul-maal should be used to serve the poor and make hospitals. Setting up hospitals is the need of the hour. And there are no guest houses at our shrines. If you look at the shrines like Baba Reshi, Hazratbal, or Makhdoom Sahib, there are no such facilities. If a devotee wishes to stay overnight at the shrines, he or she has got no place to stay. There should have been a ‘langar’ in place at the shrines. If not for 24 hours, it should be functional for at least 12 hours. The shrines get a lot of income and it is our vision to set up such facilities. In fact, it should be the vision of all Kashmiris,” the Waqf Board chairperson told The Kashmir Monitor.
She regretted that till date such facilities had not been set up at the Kashmir valley based shrines while giving examples of the Vaishno Devi shrine in the Jammu region.
“If a shrine can have school, there should be a hospital too. Unfortunately, some shrines do not even have toilet blocks despite having a lot of income.
Take the example of the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. They have set up the Narayana Hospital which has become a world-renowned hospital now. They also have a university. At the same time, widows are taken care of and there is a 24-hour ‘langar’. Look at the cleanliness at the shrine and they use every penny donated by the devotees for such social work. The government does not give any money but these facilities have come up through the money that is donated by the people. It is the money of the people and it is used for the welfare of people only,” said Andrabi, who is also the national executive member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
However, she said she needed the cooperation of people to realize the vision. “The media too has a role to play so that we fully revive the Sufi traditions,” she added.
Andrabi had been elected the chairperson of the J&K Waqf Board last week.
“With the blessings of Hon’ble Shri @narendramodi Ji, Hon’ble Shri @naqvimukhtar Ji, Hon’ble Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, I was today elected as Chairperson of J&K #WaqfBoard.Thank you my Hon’ble colleagues in the Board #DrGNHaleem Ji, #SuhailKazmi Ji, #SyedMohammadHussain Ji & Mr #NawabDin Ji (sic),” she had tweeted on March 16.
