Speaking to media persons here on Tuesday, Sait ruled out the possibility of delegating the power to manage the Gumbaz -- which houses the tombs of Tipu, his father Hyder Ali and mother Fatima Begum -- to Asif Ali. The property cannot be claimed as it is under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India.

Stating that Tipu had fought for the nation and not for a family, Sait said the Wakf Board was managing the property with due respect to the late warrior. He, however, assured to hold a meeting with Asif Ali to explain to him the futility of his pursuit.

Asif Ali Shah and his family have been occupying the Gumbaz for the past two months. They have vowed not to budge until they are given their ``due rights.'' Sait has appealed to Asif Ali and his family to vacate the place and warned oflegal action if they did not do so.

He also charged the BJP -- of which Asif Ali is a member -- with trying to capitalise on issue to win over the Muslim community. On the claim made by Asif Ali that religious functions were not performed at the Gumbaz according to the tenets of Islam, Sait clarified that all the tenets of Islam were followed and added that Tipu's heirs had not donated any money for the Urs festival in the past 30 years ago.

He said the late Prince Ghulam Ahmed, on his visit to the State during the Queen Victoria's reign, had donated Rs 1 lakh with a clear direction that the interest amount should be given as pension to Brahmins and Muslims.

Sait also clarified that administrators have been appointed for the maintenance of the properties bought by Tipu's son in Calcutta and refuted the charges made by Asif Ali that these properties were sold to private concerns. Sait said these properties which were earlier managed by Banerjee and S S Roy, former chief minister of West Bengal, were nowmanaged by Moinudheen. They have been leased out to private concerns and not sold, he said.

Sait claimed that the Central annual grant of Rs 3.5 lakhs has not been claimed by the family. The 200th birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan will be celebrated on May 4 next year in a grand manner at Srirangapatna, according to Azeez Sait. Commending the State Government for constituting a Tipu Chair in Mysore University, he requested the Government to constitute similar posts in the name of the warrior at Mangalore and Dharwad varsities.