Bangalore, Jan 4: The State Cabinet on Thursday decided to set up a high-powered committee to recover encroached Wakf properties as per the controversial report of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission headed by Anwar Manippady.
Besides, it decided to initiate the process of superseding the Karnataka Wakf Board.
The Commission had in 2012 submitted a detailed report to the government on alleged encroachment and irregularities in Wakf properties and estimated the worth of the encroached land at a whopping Rs two lakh crore.
The report had named at least a dozen senior Congress leaders and some JD(S) leaders as encroachers of Wakf properties.
Both the Congress and the JD(S) leaders had raised hue and cry over the findings of the report and had alleged that it was aimed at targeting their party leaders belonging to the minority community.
The ruling BJP's move to take action on the report when the Assembly elections are fast approaching has raised eyebrows in the political circles.
Moreover, the government has already referred the issue to the Lokayukta, which is yet to take up the investigation.
Briefing the media on the Cabinet decisions, Law Minister S Suresh Kumar said the government would shortly issue a show-cause notice to the Wakf Board asking it why it should not be superseded in view of serious allegations made in the report.
As for action on those who have allegedly encroached the land, the government will wait till the Lokayukta submits its report. The Cabinet had the decision based on the Advocate General's opinion, he said.
The minister, however, did not divulge any information on the constitution of the high-powered committee.
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