Sparks fly over minister’s surprise inspection of waqf board office

Minister of state for minority affairs Mohsin Raza, who conducted a surprise inspection of the UP Shia Central Waqf Board office on Monday and found employees missing from duty, said he would recommend the board’s dissolution as the management was unable to discharge its duties. The body had become almost defunct, he said.

Hours later, UP Shia Central Waqf Board chairman Waseem Rizvi accused Raza of launching a witch-hunt and political vendetta. Rizvi is known for his proximity to former waqf minister Mohd Azam Khan in Samajwadi Party government.

“I feel the current board should be dissolved,” said Raza after he found poor attendance of staff. He pulled up the Waqf Board officials for not being punctual. “You people do not feel the pain of the common public, who come from far-flung places with their problems and grievances,” Raza said. He said ministers like him reached the office by 9.30am. “But even at 11.30am, the waqf staff is yet to report for duty,” he said and warned those present that they must become punctual and change their style of functioning.

“He (Raza) is simply saying this (dissolution of Shia Waqf Board) for political reasons,” said Rizvi in a statement. He even had an alibi for employees missing on duty. “The minister’s surprise visit induced ‘fear’ among the employees of the Board because of which they left office premises in advance fearing his wrath,” he explained.

Rizvi alleged that before the minister reached the Waqf Board office, some unidentified persons came and told the staff that the minister might get some of them arrested. “They were alarmed and immediately left the office,” he said. Rizvi accused Raza of levelling “baseless allegations” against board and running a malicious campaign to defame it. “This is indeed unfortunate. It has induced fear among the staff,” the statement said. The chairman also said if any anomaly was noticed during the minister’s inspection, it may be conveyed to the board for necessary remedial action.