Waqf Act: PM firm on changing law, says Amit Shah in Maharashtra

Chandrapur/Yavatmal/Hingoli, Nov 15 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday asserted Prime Minister Narendra Modi was determined to amend the Waqf Act despite resistance from key opposition leaders like Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar.

Addressing three election rallies in Maharashtra during the day in support of Mahayuti candidates, he declared the Modi government will eliminate Naxalism from Chhattisgarh by March 31, 2026, and dared Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to publicly laud Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray.

The senior BJP leader emphasised that the Centre will push through amendments in the Waqf Act, 1995, despite opposition from INDIA bloc parties.

“Modi ji wants to change the Waqf Board law, but Uddhav ji, Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule are opposing it. Uddhav ji, listen carefully, you all can protest as much as you want, but Modi ji will amend the Waqf Act,” he said, addressing a rally at Umarkhed in Yavatmal district.

A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is currently scrutinising the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, introduced in the Lok Sabha in August. The Centre introduced bill, saying the proposed law was aimed to streamline the Waqf Board's work and ensure efficient management of Waqf properties.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray and NCP (SP) headed by Sharad Pawar are members of the opposition INDIA bloc. Supriya Sule is the NCP (SP) Lok Sabha MP from Baramati.

Speaking further at the rally, Shah drew on the Mahabharat and said there are two camps in the November 20 state assembly polls -- one of 'Pandavas' represented by the BJP-led Mahayuti and the other of 'Kauravas' represented by the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

“Uddhav Thackeray claims that his Shiv Sena is the real one. Can the real Shiv Sena go against renaming Aurangabad to Sambhajinagar? Can the real Shiv Sena go against renaming Ahmednagar to Ahilyanagar? The real Shiv Sena stands with the BJP,” Shah insisted.

The Shiv Sena headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is aligned with the BJP.

“Rahul Baba used to say that his government would credit money in the accounts of people instantly, but you were unable to fulfil your (pre-poll) promises in Himachal, Karnataka, and Telangana (all ruled by Congress),” he told the gathering.

Shah said the Mahayuti alliance has promised that poor women will get Rs 2,100 per month under the Ladki Bahin Yojana (up from Rs 1,500 now) after coming to power in Maharashtra.

Speaking at a rally in Chandrapur, the Union Home Minister declared that the Modi-led government will eliminate Naxalism from Chhattisgarh by March 31, 2026.

“Modi ji has worked to free the country from terrorism and Naxalism. He worked to make the country prosperous and increase its stature in the world. Whatever (Naxal menace) is remaining in Chhattisgarh, we will end it by March 31, 2026,” Shah said.

The BJP's star campaigner opined that the Centre is committed to Maharashtra's development and a mandate in favour of the ruling Mahayuti will accelerate the pace of growth.

“Modi ji has sent Rs 15.10 lakh crore for the development of Maharashtra. Along with this, many projects were also started in Maharashtra. If you form a Mahayuti government, the glory of Maharashtra, which was lost during the MVA government, will be restored,” he averred.

At his third election meeting of the day in Hingoli, Shah dared Rahul Gandhi to speak “nicely” about Savarkar and Bal Thackeray.

“Uddhav ji, if you have the courage, get Rahul Baba to speak two good words about Veer Savarkar and Balasaheb,” Shah said.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress are members of the MVA.

The Union minister asserted that Article 370, scrapped by the BJP-led Centre in 2019, will not be restored in Jammu and Kashmir under any circumstances.

“Rahul Baba's Congress party has passed a resolution in Kashmir to bring back Article 370. Rahul Baba, listen carefully, not only you but even your fourth generation cannot bring back Article 370,” Shah emphasised.

The former BJP president said Congress leader Sonia Gandhi tried to launch her son (Rahul) 20 times, but failed every time and the result will not be different this time, too.

Her “Rahul plane” is going to crash for the 21st time in the Maharashtra elections, he added.

The polls will decide whether the state follows the path of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and freedom fighter Savarkar or that of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, Shah said.

The BJP-led Mahayuti has chosen the path of Shivaji Maharaj and Savarkar, while the MVA people are part of the "Aurangzeb fan club", he averred.

“For 70 years, the Congress obstructed the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya, but Modi ji built it,” he said.

At his Hingoli rally also, Shah spoke about the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

“In Karnataka, the Wakf Board has declared villages, temples, farmers' lands and people's houses as wakf properties. We have brought a bill to amend the Waqf Act, but Sharad Pawar and Company is opposing this bill. You can oppose it as much as you want, but the Modi government will change the Waqf Act with full force,” Shah said.

Assembly poll results will be declared on November 23. PTI