BJP cites Karnataka Minorities Commission report to target oppn parties
New Delhi: The BJP on Thursday cited a Karnataka Minorities Commission report to hit out at opposition parties and "secular" politicians for "looting" the waqf land meant for poor Muslims in the state.
BJP spokesperson Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the commission has pointed out in its report that over 29,000 acres of waqf land in Karnataka was "surreptitiously and illegally" transferred for commercial use. He also said the report was prepared in 2012 but was tabled in the state assembly eight years and two "secular" governments later in September this year.
"It is only now that eight years and two secular chief ministers later that this report, that is both damning and explosive, reveals the extent of the loot and exploitation of the assets and resources meant for poor Muslims. It is an indictment with facts and evidence of many so-called secular politicians and Karnataka Wakf Board," he said.
The BJP spokesperson expressed the hope that Karnataka and other states will now investigate the brazen exploitation of waqf properties across the country by vested interests.
The waqf board in Karnataka held 54,000 acres of land of which 29,000 acres were "illegally" used for commercial purposes, Chandrasekhar said, citing the report.
It is losing around Rs 100 crore due to this, he claimed.
The BJP leader named Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and C M Ibrahim as among the alleged beneficiaries of the irregularities.
While the BJP seeks progress of every Indian, the so-called secular politicians have a long history of exploiting those they claim to protect, Chandrasekhar said.
Citing a 1998 judgment of the Supreme Court, he noted that properties bequeathed to waqf are unique and as they cannot be taken away from its owner.
It is said that "once a waqf always a waqf", the BJP spokesperson added.
This commission report is a result of the fearless hard work, integrity, and commitment of many in the Muslim community themselves, not least of all the then Chairman of Karnataka Minorities commission Anwar Mannipady, he said.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
