Snatch Waqf lands, says Yatnal

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: BJP MLA from Vijayapura Basangouda Patil Yatnal on Sunday said that he had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding the abolition of Waqf laws in the country.

Waqf refers to an Islamic endowment, usually land or property, to be held in trust and used for charitable or religious purposes. Waqf lands or auqaaf (plural) are heavily regulated by the state under Waqf Departments in various states.

Yatnal claimed without proof that lands on which Dalits had built their houses were being claimed by the Waqf Department, even alleging that hooliganism was being done in the name of reclaiming those lands.

The MLA’s suggestion was that the Waqf lands be taken over by Finance Departments of various states and then redistributed to Dalits and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) by way of homes.

“Waqf was a mistake made by Nehru and we should correct it. We must fulfill the dreams of Babasaheb Ambedkar,” Yatnal said.