Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Jun 26: The Privileges Committee of the state legislative council headed by G Madhusudan has held minister for municipal administration and Wakf, Qamarul Islam, guilty of misleading the house by providing false information over usurping of Wakf properties. The report also has several documents as enclosures to drive home this point.

When chairman of the then state minorities commission, Anwar Manippady, had sent a report to D V Sadananda Gowda-led state government, accusing influential politicians of annexing and encroaching Wakf properties valued at around one lac crore rupees, many had termed it as exaggeration. A call attention motion over this issue had been moved in the council by BJP legislators, Dr A H Shivayogi Swamy, Capt Ganesh Karnik, and K Monappa Bhandary.

In reply, minorities welfare and Wakf minister, Qamarul Islam, had termed the said report as unauthorized. After a privilege motion was moved against the minister on July 31, 2013 against this statement, accusing him as misleading the house, a committee was formed to look into the matter. The report prepared by this committee, which was presented in the house on Wednesday, has charged the minister of deliberately providing false information to the house.

Speaking on the occasion, G Madhusudan charged the minister of providing false information to the house purposely, and accused the minister and his wife as well as several influential politicians of involvement with embezzling Wakf properties worth over one lac crore rupees. He also pointed out that when in opposition, Siddaramaiah had demanded for handing over this scam for investigation to central bureau of investigation.

The committee, which has concluded that beyond doubt, the minister's act had resulted in breach of privileges of the members of the council,has left the issue of taking action against the minister to the discretion of the house.