Centre issues notice to take over 123 Waqf Board Properties, including Jama Masjid

On Wednesday, Union Ministry of Urban Development issued a notice to take over 123 properties from Waqf Board which includes Delhi's Jama Masjid. The Jama Masjid was given to the Waqf Board during the Manmohan Singh Govt. The development comes after the ministry had in Feb 2023 decided to take over the 123 Waqf board properties including mosques, dargah and graveyards, based on the report of a 2-member committee.

In a letter dated Feb 8, the deputy land and development officer wrote to the board informing it of the decision to "absolve" it from all matters pertaining to the 123 Waqf properties, PTI had reported. 

The Land and Development Office (L&DO) of the central ministry said the two-member committee headed by Justice (retired) S. P. Garg on the issue of denotified Waqf properties in its report submitted that no representation or objection was received by it from the Delhi Waqf Board, the report added. 

The L&DO letter said, "It is evident from the above facts that Delhi Waqf Board does not have any stake in the listed properties, neither have they shown any interest in the properties nor filed any objections or claims. It is, therefore, decided to absolve Delhi Waqf Board from all matters pertaining to '123 Waqf Properties'".

In May the Delhi High Court ordered that the Union goverment may carry out physical inspection of 123 properties, possession of which is being claimed by the Delhi Waqf Board. 

The decision had evoked sharp reaction from Aam Aadmi Party MLA and board chairman Amanatullah Khan who had said that the decision caused "widespread anxiety, fear and resentment" among the Muslim community.

"Some people are spreading lies about it, the proof of this is in front of all of you. We will not allow anyone to occupy the properties of the Waqf Board," he had said in a tweet.

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