Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill would only lead to property disputes as it is meant to help only industrialists friendly to the prime minister grab Waqf land and properties.
Speaking to media persons here on Wednesday, Raut said, “Even the RSS does not fully support the provisions of this Bill. What is the connection between this Bill and Hindutva? Will Fadnavis explain? Or is the Bill an attempt to grab land meant to be given to industrialists?”
Accusing the BJP and its allies of a plan to create chaos in Parliament, he stated that there are doubts whether MPs will be even allowed to vote for or against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. “The BJP and its allies have a plan to create a ruckus in both Houses of the Parliament. So, I have serious doubts if there will be any voting on the Bill. There is an attempt to create an impression as if the entire country is waiting for this Bill to be passed, but that is not the case. Such kinds of Bills come and go. Nobody is keen on this Bill to be passed. All this is being done only to use the Bill to win the Bihar assembly elections,” Raut said.
Speaking in a similar tone, Sharad Pawar-led NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad alleged that some big businessmen have been eyeing the land owned by the Waqf Board. “Some of our ancestors, who used to be rich people, used to donate their land as Waqf and it is completely religious property. Then why is the government interfering in it? There are many such places in India which no one can even touch, but some capitalists have their eyes on them.”
“Mukesh Ambani’s house (Antilia complex in Mumbai) stands on Waqf Board land. Some leaders of the Muslim community have misused the law,” Awhad said, adding that the Waqf Bill has been introduced with ulterior motives.
“I feel that the Waqf Board is being implemented forcibly. This land is not anyone’s personal property. Rather it is the land dedicated for religious purposes. The Muslim community uses Waqf land to build mosques, madrasas, colleges, education centres, and graveyards. There is gold worth billions of rupees in Hindu temples. My question to the government is will you now take possession of this gold. The government should answer me. What is the need to go into the religious affairs of the people? The work of violating the Constitution is going on. Now, we have twice the gold in temples of South India. Once the land is Waqf property, it has been donated to society and it cannot be transferred back,” Awhad said.
When asked to comment on Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju’s statement on Wednesday that had the central government not intervened, the land on which the Parliament building stands would have been grabbed under the garb of being a Waqf property, Awhad said, “I can only laugh at this because the Parliament building has been there since the time of the British. Don’t spread wrong information”.