The story so far: The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has taken over 123 properties belonging to the Delhi Waqf Board. It includes many historic mosques, medieval dargahs and cemeteries. Following a Delhi High Court order, a committee was formed by the government to study the status of these monuments. The two-member committee headed by Justice (retired) S.P. Garg submitted in its report that no representation or objection was received by it from the Delhi Waqf Board. Accordingly, these properties lapsed into the hands of the Central government.
Why has then the Delhi Waqf Board gone to court?
The Delhi Waqf Board disputed the committee’s contention, arguing that it had resulted in “widespread panic, fear and resentment” among the Muslim community. Waqf Board Chairman Amanatullah Khan, who is also an Aam Aadmi Party MLA, claimed the report had not been shared with the Waqf Board, and that there was no direction by the High Court to constitute a two-member committee in its order back in 2014. The Waqf Board has approached the Delhi High Court for redressal.
