Waqf Board chief justifies 'turn Humanyun's Tomb into graveyard' remark for Muslims in Delhi

The Shia Central Waqf Board chief had earlier suggested the demolition of Humayun's Tomb and its conversion into a graveyard for Muslims in Delhi.

New Delhi: Waseem Rizvi, the Shia Central Waqf Board chief who has earlier suggested the demolition of Humayun's Tomb and its conversion into a graveyard for Muslims, on Thursday justified making the statement.

Talking to ANI, Rizvi said that if Humanyun's tomb is demolished and turned into a graveyard, Muslims living in Delhi won't require another for next 100 years.

The Shia Central Waqf Board chief, however, said this was just a suggestion.

If it (Humanyun's Tomb) is made into graveyard, Muslims here won't require another for next 100 yrs; it's an advice: W.Rizvi,Shia Waqf Board pic.twitter.com/um2bi4jnY7 — ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2017

In view of fast shrinking space for burying the dead in the national capital, Rizvi had earlier suggested the demolition of Humayun's Tomb and its conversion into a graveyard for Muslims.

Rizvi had also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard. 

In his letter, Rizvi had stated that demolishing Humayun's Tomb and converting it into a graveyard would solve the acute problem being faced by the Muslims for burying the dead in Delhi.

Rizvi wrote the letter to the PM after the All India Rabta-e-Masajid and Madaris-e-Islamia of Yamuna Vihar informed the UP Shia Central Waqf Board about the extreme shortage of space for graveyard in the national capital. 

In their letter dated October 15, the two organisations said that the old burial grounds had got filled up and there is no space for building new ones either.

The two organisations also urged the UP Shia Waqf Board to provide land for burial ground in the neighbouring state close to the Delhi border.

In its reply, the UP Shia Waqf Board said that it examined the cities in UP close to the Delhi border but found that there was no land available with it for the purpose. 

It admitted that the problem concerning the Muslims living in Delhi was alarming and needed to be addressed at the earliest.

The Shia Waqf Board then suggested to the PM that Humayun's Tomb situated in the Nizamuddin area of the national capital be demolished in the public interest and converted into a burial ground.

Stating reasons behind its proposal, Rizvi said the Humayun's Tomb is spread in an area of 35 acres.

"It is not a religious place. It will be considered as a graveyard because of the grave present there,'' he wrote in the letter.

The Shia Waqf Board further said that there was no hindrance as per Islam in demolishing the Humayuns's Tomb. 

Giving another reason for suggesting so, the Board said that the government does not earn anything from the Humayun's Tomb, instead, it has to spend lakhs of rupees on its maintenance every year.