Uttar Pradesh Minority Affairs Minister Mohsin Raza today waded into controversy by suggesting that the Shia Central Waqf Board be dissolved, drawing angry retort from its chairman, who saw "political reasons" in it.
"Why shouldn't the current board (UP Shia Central Waqf Board) be dissolved," Raza shot off, peeved over poor attendance of staff during a surprise visit to its office here.
The angry remark of the Minister of State triggered an instant protest from Board Chairman Waseem Rizvi, who saw politics in the matter.
"He (Raza) is trying to dissolve the Shia Waqf Board purely for political reasons," Rizvi said in a statement.
He claimed that news of Raza's surprise visit induced "fear psychosis" among the employees of the Board, forcing them to leave office premises in advance to escape his anger.
Rizvi alleged that before the minister reached the Waqf Board office, some unidentified persons came and told the staff that the minister might get some of them arrested.
"This created a fear psychosis among the staff who immediately left to escape the wrath of the minister," he said.
Rizvi charged Raza with levelling "baseless allegations" against it and is running a malicious campaign to defame it.
"This is indeed unfortunate. It has induced fear among the staff," the statement said.
The chairman also said if any anomaly was noticed during the minister's surprise inspection, it may be conveyed to the Board for necessary remedial action against any errant employee.
Earlier in the day, Raza rapped the Waqf Board officials over low punctuality of staff and asked them why shouldn't the current board be dissolved.
"It seems that the officials of this department do not feel the pain of the common public, who come from far-flung places with their grievances," Raza remarked.
"We (ministers) reach office by 9.30 AM. But, even at 11.30 AM, the officials are yet to arrive," Raza observed.
"From today onwards, the officials must come out of the hangover of the previous government," he said.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)