Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Singh Yadav on Saturday pointedly accused the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government at the centre of attempting to grab Waqf properties across the country through an executive order.
Addressing a press conference, he said, "The Union cabinet has recently taken a decision to entrust control of all Waqf properties to a newly constituted National Waqf Development Agency."
He said, "Only 24 per cent of the Waqf properties will continue to vest with the Muslim community, while the new agency will get all rights over the remaining 76 per cent."
He added, "Sure enough, any such move is against the interest of the Muslim community, and the Samajwadi Party will therefore oppose the proposal tooth and nail."
Clearly playing the Muslim card to revive his clout with the community, the SP chief went on to emphasise, "Waqf property belongs to the Muslims and no government can be allowed to usurp that right from them."
Claiming that while he was in power in Uttar Pradesh, he had made it a point to ensure complete protection of all Waqf properties, and many such properties had also been clearly demarcated by raising of boundary walls around them, he said , "Unless the central government revoked its decision, such a move is bound to send very wrong signals to the entire community ."
He warned, "Muslims may even start thinking that their property is not safe in India, which may have very serious repercussions."
