Hope Shia, Sunni Waqf boards' functioning to be transparent soon: Mohsin Raza

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh minority affairs minister Mohsin Raza has exuded confidence that the functioning of the Shia and Sunni Waqf boards would be made "transparent".

Raza said the state government would soon be digitising records of Waqf properties. "We will bring transparency and honesty to the system under our government," he said.

"I hope that soon the functioning of the Shia Waqf Board and the Sunni Waqf Board will be made transparent. If we are able to achieve it, then it will be the real Eid gift to scores of poor Muslims. I'm hopeful that we will be able to give this gift," Raza told PTI.

"We are planning to link the process of filing of the Haj application with the Aadhaar number, so as to check whether the applicant had undertaken Haj earlier or not. This would ensure greater transparency. It will help the government identify genuine applicants. Soon some concrete mechanism would be put in place," Raza said.

On a question, whether he would sip cow milk as part of Iftar meal (for breaking the day-long fast during Ramzan), Raza said, "How I practice my religion is my personal domain. It is a relationship which I share directly with my God."

He said that fasting during the month of Ramzan would not affect his performance as a minister, but would only improve it.

Referring to the out of court settlement option for the Ayodhya dispute, Raza said, "It was an option given by the Supreme Court which should have been adhered to."

On the question of triple talaq issue, the minister said, "It (triple talaq) is not a part of Shariyat."