Muslim SP leaders? infighting worsens

INFIGHTING AMONG Muslim Samajwadi Party MLAs has taken a turn for the worse.

While ministers Shakir Ali, Haji Yaqoob Qureshi and MLA Riyaz Ahmad have come out in open against Urban Development Minister Mohd Azam Khan, Waqf Board Hafiz Usman chairman on Tuesday blasted the anti-Khan group in the party.

Other Muslim MLAs have also joined pro and anti-Khan groups. The party leadership has remained a mute spectator to these functionaries washing dirty linen in public. Defending Azam Khan here on Tuesday, Usman targeted Riyaz Ahmad for carrying out a campaign against the minister. Accusing Riyaz Ahmad and his two associates Abdul Razzaq and Mahboob Ahmad (all board members) of illegally capturing and disposing of huge waqf properties in Kanpur, Lucknow and Pilibhit, Usman said he had sought action against them from the government. Last week, Ahmad had assailed Azam Khan for shielding corrupt deals of Usman.

Rebutting the charges, Usman, an acolyte of Khan, reeled out cases of irregularities against the three board members. He said a sustained drive had been launched to tarnish the image of Azam Khan. Waqf Minister Shakir Ali had issued notice to the board, threatening to disband it. However, Usman said the board had replied to the government. Earlier, Ali had expressed concern over the messy situation in the board. But, he was helpless because of the patronage provided by Khan to Usman, who claimed today that the board had financially improved a lot during his two-year regime. Because of Khan’s pressure, Shakir Ali could not even appoint a chief executive officer (CEO) in the board, so that Usman could function freely. However, Usman said he had repeatedly asked the government to appoint a CEO.

Usman said Riyaz Ahmad, Mahboob Ahmad and Abdul Razzaq had turned hostile because he scuttled their plan to capture valuable waqf properties. The trio had accused Usman of disposing of huge waqf land in Ghaziabad, with the help of land mafiosi Laddan Qureshi. But, the chairman refuted the charge.