Tripura cabinet approves setting up tribunal to recover waqf properties

Agartala: The Tripura cabinet of ministers has given its approval for implementing the 2013 amendment of the Waqf Act in compilation with the central law for the protection of waqf property, law minister Ratan Lal Nath said.

Speaking in a press conference, Nath said that the cabinet has decided to form a tribunal and the district magistrates would be instructed to conduct a new survey to reclaim the waqf land.

“In the last 30 years, 1,400 acres of land have been occupied during the previous government which cried foul for the minority community for vote bank politics,” Nath said.

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He also said that in 2013, the central government had amended the ‘Waqf Act’ and accordingly the states were recommended to form a uniform rule. However, the previous government did not act on it.

“The cabinet has adopted the amendment and approved the Tripura Waqf Tribunal Rule 2020,” Nath added.

Speaking further he said that the tribunal is mandatory as per the amendment because, if there is any problem with the waqf property, it is very important to have a tribunal for a quick settlement.

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“Tripura has a total of 2,643 waqf properties across state comprising of 3,000 Kani land, of which 771 waqf properties amounting to 1,400 acres of land have been occupied in last 30 years,” the law minister said.

He expressed surprise that many more waqf properties, including the Gedu Miah Mosque in Agartala and the graveyard in AD Nagar, had been occupied. Not only that, the then Left leader has built houses on some lands.

The law minister said, “I have raised this issue in the assembly many times in the past. But no one listened. Now, the district magistrates have been instructed to re-examine the waqf property,” Nath added.