New Delhi, Oct 25 (IANS): Expressing shock, Congress leader Rashid Alvi on Friday criticised the Yogi Adityanath government’s reported plan to open cow shelters in enemy properties in Uttar Pradesh, claiming that such a move would violate legal provisions that mandate the use of these premises for government work only.

“Any law that the government enacts to allow a change in use of ‘enemy properties’ will not be able to stand judicial scrutiny. These properties cannot be used for any non-government work,” Alvi told IANS, expressing surprise over the BJP government’s alleged move.

The Congress leader’s reaction comes close to the UP government approaching the Central government to seek details of enemy properties which number around 6,000. Earlier, media reports indicated that the Yogi government plans to grow fodder on the premises of these properties and house stray cattle there.

Over the past few years, the state government has been considering action against those involved in illegally occupying ‘enemy properties’. Out of a total of 5,936 ‘enemy properties’ existing in the state, 1,826 are under illegal occupation.

An ‘enemy property’ is a property left behind in India by people who migrated from India to Pakistan or other countries. The ownership of these properties is passed on to the government which is then bound to identify, preserve and manage the properties under the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2017.

Meanwhile, talking about the reported troop withdrawal agreement between India and China, Alvi said, “The biggest question is why were they allowed to enter our territory in the first place?”

“The agreement to withdraw troops confirms our claim that the Chinese had intruded our territory,” he said, alleging that the government and Army officials are speaking in different tones on the sensitive issue.

The Congress leader also demanded that the agreement with China should also be made public. “What is the reason to be secretive about it?” he asked.

Expressing concern over growing religious intolerance, Alvi said mosques are being demolished blatantly.

“We seek protection for all places of religion, including mosques and temples. The government is duty-bound to protect such structures,” he said, warning of a civil war if mosques continue to be targeted without any check.