New Delhi, August 06: Wooing the Muslim youth into the BJP seems to be one of the goals set by party chief Nitin Gadkari. In his words, he wants to build a cadre of around 20,000 Muslim BJP activists who, he believes, will work to dispel the perception that the party is anti-Muslim. And Gadkari, it seems, has begun his attempt to win over Muslims.
He has taken up the issue of encroachment of Waqf properties spread across the country and has written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, seeking steps to end misappropriation of the multi-crore Waqf land.
In his letter, he said it was a “matter of serious concern that the Waqf properties are encroached upon” and quoted the Justice Rajinder Sachar committee which had observed that there were about 6 lakh acres of land and 5 lakh registered properties under Waqf administration across the country.
He pointed out the Sachar committee’s observation that if Waqf properties were put to efficient and marketable use, they can generate revenue of Rs 12,000 crore a year. “This money could be used for the economic and social development of Muslims and for the welfare and empowerment of the community,” he said.
Gadkari said the funds of the Waqf should be used for setting up professional colleges and other institutes for the Muslim youth and for welfare activities. The BJP chief even added a political punch by saying that some pseudo-secular leaders of political parties who proclaim themselves to be the well-wishers of Muslims and some other forces have illegally encroached upon the Waqf land.
Gadkari’s letter comes at a time when the BJP — eyeing the Muslim vote bank in Assembly poll-bound Bihar — is all set to organise a state-level Muslim convention in Patna.
—–Agencies