Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday slammed the Centre over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill saying the BJP-led government is eying the Waqf land to meet the interests of industrialists. Thackeray said his party opposed the Waqf Bill in Parliament as it was against the seizure of Waqf land.
“If the government wants to take over land then first take over the land which has been grabbed by Pakistan and China. We have opposed the Bill since the government’s intention is to grab the Waqf land and give it to its industrialist friends,” Thackeray said at a press conference in Mumbai after the Bill was passed in Lok Sabha.
Thackeray said the controversial Bill was introduced in Parliament to divert attention from the issue of US’ reciprocal tax tariff that posed a challenge to India.
He also took a dig at the BJP and its allies for making speeches in Parliament to appease the Muslims.
“They (the BJP) have their eyes on Waqf Board land. BJP leaders, including Amit Shah, made the most sympathetic speeches for Muslims in the history of the country. They were sympathetic to make even Jinnah (Muhammad Ali Jinnah) feel insecure. So now are they (BJP) in favour of Muslims or not? Then what happened to Hindutva? Did they abandon Hindutva?” Thackeray asked.
He alleged that despite securing a third term at the Centre, the BJP continued to rake up Hindu-Muslim debates.
“What is being done to Muslims today will be done to Hindus as well. This Bill was tabled only for land,” asserted Thackeray, adding that they were opposing BJP’s corruption in the Bill.
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The contentious Bill which proposes major changes in the regulation of Waqf properties and settlement of disputes was passed in the Lok Sabha after a midnight vote on Wednesday.
One of the contentious provisions in the Bill include allowing a non-Muslim to become the Chief Executive Officer of the Waqf Board.
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