Srinagar: The Waqf Board has identified the land for the much-needed cancer hospital in Kashmir at Eidgah area of Srinagar with Chairperson Darkshan Andrabi saying that the foundation stone of the hospital is likely to be laid by Union Home Minister Amit Shah soon.
Talking exclusively with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Andrabi said that the cancer hospital was set to come up near Hazrat Sultanul Arifeen (RA) shrine, but the Department of Archaeology didn’t allow the construction of a building there.
However, she said that a huge chunk of Waqf land, which is near about 650 kanals in Eidgah is available. “The encroachment will be removed and 60-80 kanals of land will be kept for the cancer hospital so that the poor and needy people will get some respite,” she said, adding that it is the time when the cancer hospital has to come up and if the step is not taken at this juncture, it can never be taken in the future.
Asked about the laying of foundation stone of the Cancer hospital, she said, “Our efforts are on to ensure that she has requested the Home Minister Amit Shah and he will likely lay the foundation stone of the hospital. We are trying to seek some precious time from the Home Minister for laying the foundation stone of the hospital.”
She further said that the Waqf runs with the charity of people, and the people here always remain ready to give donations. “We have been receiving mails and phone calls about the cancer hospital as the people are ready to donate for the great cause,” she said.
Moreover, she said that the shrines are only meant for performing religious obligations and making the religious places political platform will not be allowed at any cost. “The people visit these shrines to get peace, pray and get blessings. To keep the sanctity of these religious places, it has been decided that no political leader should be allowed to make it a political platform,” he said.
“We are trying to set the things correct in the Waqf board and thus the frequent orders are being made with an aim to ensure transparency and accountability in the Waqf,” she said.
“We are the caretakers of these shrines and we will take every decision to maintain the sanctity of the shrines,” she said.
About the arrest of the religious clerics, she said that the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has been informed about it and the matter will be looked into and the innocents will be freed as happened in the past.“We also appeal the government to take action against the political leaders, who have been making controversial statements,” she said