From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Mar 29: Congress leader and Shanthinagar MLA N A Harris has threatened to file a defamation suit against Karnataka State Minorities Commission Chairman Anwar Manippady on alleged encroachment of wakf properties and demanded an unconditional apology from the BJP leader for tarnishing his and his family’s image and reputation through false allegations.
The Congress MLA alleged that the State Government was the ''biggest encroacher of Wakf Board properties” and claimed that allegations against him and his family members about involvement in acquisition of wakf properties were completely false.
Addressing presspersons here, Haris said the report on illegal encroachment of wakf properties by Karnataka State Minorities Commission Chairman Anwar Manippady was ''politically motivated.”
''I strongly deny the allegations made against me and my family members as appeared in the press. They are false, baseless and intended to malign me and tarnish the image I have built over the years by hard work,” Haris said in a signed note.
Demanding an unconditional apology, the MLA said he would file a defamation case against the commission chairman for dragging his and family members into unwarranted controversy and sullying the image in the society.
Harris said the Government had illegally acquired wakf properties and spread over 652 acres at Hegde Nagar in the City and allotted sites under the Ashraya scheme.
The matter was pending before the court now, he said.
Wakf properties have been encroached by various governments in the past and there was nothing new about it, he said.
The report submitted to the Government by Anwar Manippady contended that wakf properties worth about Rs 2 lakh crore - out of the total properties worth over Rs. 4 lakh crore - have been encroached upon or sold illegally.