Cong misused Waqf land to promote own institutions: Fadnavis

Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju’s introduction of the Bill, which seeks to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, in Parliament was met with noisy protests

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With the Opposition opposing the Bill and its own allies wary about the widespread changes proposed by it, the Centre on Thursday sent the legislation to a Joint Committee of Parliament. (Express Archives)

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said there was rampant misuse of Waqf land when the Congress was in power. The Congress frequently misused Waqf land for its vested interests, he added.

“We have seen in the past how Congress leaders misused Waqf land to promote their own institutions. There are records and reports on misuse of Waqf land by the Congress when it was in power in Maharashtra and elsewhere in country,” Fadnavis said, during a brief media interaction here.

“The Congress’ opposition to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is understandable. They will try to thwart the Bill as it will not only expose their misdeeds but also put a brake on it,” he added.

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Also Read | Waqf Act: ‘Constitution empowers religions to manage their affairs. How can you put non-Muslim in Waqf bodies?’, says AIMPLB member

Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju’s introduction of the Bill, which seeks to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, in Parliament was met with noisy protests, with Opposition MPs calling it “an attack on the Indian Constitution, the religious freedom it guarantees and a violation of the federal structure”.

With the Opposition opposing the Bill and its own allies wary about the widespread changes proposed by it, the Centre on Thursday sent the legislation to a Joint Committee of Parliament.

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