The Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee (JPCC) has urged the central government to rename the Deoghar airport in honour of Santhal freedom fighters Sidho-Kanhu and Chand-Bhairav, to commemorate their contribution to India’s struggle against colonial rule.
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The Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee (JPCC) has urged the central government to rename the Deoghar airport in honour of Santhal freedom fighters Sidho-Kanhu and Chand-Bhairav, to commemorate their contribution to India’s struggle against colonial rule.
Addressing a press conference at the Congress Bhavan, JPCC President Keshav Mahato Kamlesh said, “Just as Kolkata airport is named after Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Patna after Jayaprakash Narayan, and Odisha’s airports after Biju Patnaik and Veer Surendra Sai, the Deoghar airport must reflect the legacy of the brave sons of Santhal Pargana.”
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Kamlesh also strongly criticized the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act, calling them an attack on constitutional values and an attempt to marginalize the Muslim community. “The Waqf Bill is being used as a tool to deny Muslims their religious and property rights. It violates Article 25 of the Constitution and threatens the religious freedoms of all citizens,” he said.
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Referring to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement in Parliament that Waqf Tribunal decisions cannot be appealed, Kamlesh pointed to Section 83(9) of the Waqf Act, 1995, which allows appeals in High Courts, and said the minister’s claim was “factually incorrect.”
JPCC Working President Shahzada Anwar said, “Despite having only 24 MPs from minority communities, 232 MPs from various parties opposed the Waqf Bill. This is a sign of India’s inclusive spirit. The government is misusing its parliamentary majority to isolate minorities.”
Calling Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi “a rising comet in Indian politics,” Anwar said that widespread protests across the country reflected public outrage against the bill.
JPCC Minority Department Chairman Manzoor Ansari challenged BJP spokesperson Zafar Islam to a public debate with Imran Pratapgarhi on the Waqf issue. “If Zafar Islam believes in the truth, let him sit face-to-face with Imran and discuss it,” he said, accusing the BJP of spreading misinformation.
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