Vijay Mallya -Photo Courtesy Google Images
Dr.Mazhar Naqvi
Imami leaders and
scholars need to shun their personal differences to uproot a liquor factory being
run on a Wakf land by Vijay Mallya. Shia (Wakf) Board had served a notice to Mallya
in July 2015 and asked him to appear before it on August 10 with relevant
documents to clarify his position over the issue. In the notice, the board had
accused Mallya of purchasing nearly 10 Bighas of Wakf land for his United Spirits
Limited and erecting a liquor factory on it near Abdullapur village on the
outskirts of Meerut.
Board
Chairman Syed Wasim Rizvi had then revealed to media that the land in question
was registered as Waqf Syed Mohammad and notice to Mallya was sent after Hussain Ahmed, the Mutawalli
(caretaker) of the Wakf in a letter dated July 2, 2015, informed the Board
about “Illegal grabbing of the property and
running of a liquor factory on it “.The Chairman had also declared that board
will take ex-parte decision if Mallya failed to show up. Since then, Mallya had
neither appeared before the Board nor has his factory stopped producing liquor
on land belonging to a Wakf (Trust) created with the noble objective of
conducting Marasim-e-Azadari in memory of Karbala martyrs.
According to Wakf records, a great devotee of
Imam Hussain Syed Muhammad had registered 10 Bighas of land as Wakf on April 26,
1918 for the purpose of Azadari and charity. His family later leased the land
to one Lala Hansraj in 1937 for 50 years for setting up a central distillery
and chemical factory. Later Hansraj transferred to United Spirits. Even though
the said lease expired in 1987, strangely no effort was made to reclaim it from
the possession of United Spirits. The Board exhibited seriousness towards the
continuing running of liquor factory on Wakf land after Rizvi got reelected as Chairman
of the Board. He ordered a probe after receiving complaint and verification of
records substantiated the allegations against Mallya. After serving notice, he
had claimed “We have conducted our inquiry and verified the revenue records. It
is a Wakf property and we will recover it,”. But the way things are moving, the
liberation of the land appears to be difficult. Imami community also seems to
be somewhat indifferent to the issue. Their religious leaders have also not
raised the issue from any platform. The Board Chairman also doe not enjoy favor
of a section of powerful Imami Ulemas. Under such circumstances, how could liquor
factory be uprooted from Wakf land is anyone’s guess.
Vijay Mallya is a powerful and influential
person. He can press a battery of lawyers into service to prevent the district
administration from taking possession of the land. Hence, Imamis need to
express solidarity with the cause of the Board.
They should remember that Wakf lands belong
to Imam and hence, pious in nature. The existence of liquor factory on Wakf
land is not only anti-Islamic but also disgraceful for a community that
considers itself as the carrier of Hussaini Mission. Wakf Board is correct in
its approach and needs to be supported by all Imamis in its endeavor to
liberate Wakf land from the ‘Liquor Baron’. (Based on the Inputs from The Indian Express, Dainik Jagran and The Times of India.)
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