UP govt nominates two women, Firangi Mahal cleric to Sunni Waqf Board

AYODHYA : The state government on Saturday nominated two women and a Firangi Mahal cleric as members of Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board, a day after eight members were elected unopposed, following twin withdrawal of nominations by Amroha SP MLC Amroha Parvez Ali and Sambhal SP MLA Iqbal Mahmood.
State nominations helped constitute the waqf board’s quorum of 11, paving way for the crucial election of the chairman on Tuesday.Frontrunner Zufar Farooqui, who’s eyeing a third consecutive stint at the helm told TOI he’s hopeful the chairman would be elected unanimously.
On Saturday, two women nominated by the UP government included prominent social worker and resident of Lucknow’s Lal Bagh locality, Sabiha Ahmad, and joint director (administration), health directorate, Dr Tabassum Khan.
The third notable government nomination was of Maulana Naeem ur Rahman Siddiqui, principal of Darul Uloom Firangi Mahal — an Islamic institute in Lucknow run by Imam of Aishbagh Eidgah and executive member of All-India Muslim Personal Law Board, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali.
Principal secretary, minorities affairs department, B L Mina, has summoned a meeting of newly elected waqf board members at Bapu Bhawan, Lucknow, on Tuesday to elect the chairman.
Top sources in the Board said, Kunwar Danish Ali may be in the fray for the post of chairman. However, the BSP MP harped on consultation and unanimity while talking to TOI on a probable contest for the top job.
“I am a member of parliament and my priorities lie in my constituency. On the question of chairmanship of waqf board, it will be decided unanimously after consultation. UP Sunni Waqf Board is a great institution and I am here to ensure it serves every member of the community. I will work to mobilise revenue for the Board, which will be used for the community’s uplift,” he said.
On Friday, eight members were elected unopposed which included two from the mutawalli quota — former chairman of Sunni Waqf Board and president of the Ayodhya mosque trust Zufar Farooqui and another trustee, Adnaan Farrukh of Gorakhpur.
For the two seats from Member of Parliament quota, Samajwadi Party MP S T Hasan from Moradabad and Bahujan Samaj Party MP Kunwar Danish Ali from Amroha were elected without contest. For the two seats of MLA/MLC quota, SP MLAs Abrar Ahmad from Sultanpur and Nafees Ahmad from Azamgarh too had a cakewalk.