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Hyderabad : Muslims in the country face numerous challenges, particularly in economic terms, with their overall condition being quite poor. Despite the existence of waqf properties worth billions of rupees in the country, the Muslim community continues to suffer due to the presence of individuals like Mir Jaffer, Mir Sadiq who prioritize their personal interests over the welfare of the community. These individuals, often found in leadership positions such as presidents of Waqf Boards or central ministers, engage in empty rhetoric and symbolic gestures to safeguard these properties. However, they ultimately fail to take concrete action against illegal occupants and resort to compromising with them.
Fortunately, not all leaders within the Muslim community fall into this category of opportunistic individuals. Mahmood Paracha, a senior lawyer of the Supreme Court, has demonstrated his unwavering commitment to protecting waqf properties. Recently, he successfully reclaimed 8.5 acres of land worth an estimated Rs 50,000-55,000 crore, located just one kilometer away from the Prime Minister’s House in New Delhi, from the illegal possession of high-ranking political leaders and dishonest officials of the Waqf Board. Presently, Mahmood Paracha is engaged in a legal battle to free approximately 123 Sunni Shia waqf properties from illegal occupants.
According to Syed Nayyar Ali Naqvi, the president of Anjuman-e-Haideri, Mahmood Paracha has dedicated ten years of his service, beginning in the year 2000, without charging any fees for his work. The public, including women, have rallied along with him, engaging in protests and a “jail bharo” (fill the jails) campaign. As a result, numerous arrests have been made, and over 150 cases have been registered.
Bahadur Abbas, the general secretary of Anjuman-e-Haideri Delhi, lauded Mahmood Paracha’s decade-long battle and emphasized the need for honest lawyers and leaders who genuinely prioritize the interests of the Muslim community, rather than selling them out.
Mahmood Paracha himself recalls being approached during the ‘Karbala Jor Bagh movement’ to protect a valuable waqf property in Mehrauli. At the time, a gang led by an individual who had illegally occupied the property of Karbala Jor Bagh collaborated with the land mafia. Shockingly, seven ancient and historical mosques were demolished in Mehrauli, allegedly orchestrated by government officials in collusion with corrupt members of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). However, a movement similar to the one in Karbala Maidan emerged, resulting in the reconstruction of the mosques that were destroyed. Additionally, the previous residents were able to return to their original dwellings.
Mahmood Paracha recounts an event from 2012 when an RSS affiliate filed a public interest litigation that led to the demolition of a mosque under the orders of the Delhi High Court. Contempt of court orders were subsequently issued against the Delhi Waqf Board and senior officials of the Delhi government for failing to comply with the high court’s directives regarding the demolition. As the counsel for the Delhi Waqf Board and the then Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Mahmood Pracha managed to prevent contempt orders against them. Significantly, the court ordered the allocation of land equal in size and value to the original location of the mosque.