Ajit Pawar's support to Waqf Bill shows his hypocrisy and helplessness for power, alleges Sapkal
Mumbai, Apr 4 (PTI): Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal on Friday said Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's support to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was a sign of his helplessness for power and shows the hypocrisy of his politics.
He also said the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government's ploy to intimidate the Muslim community and seize thousands of acres of land.
The contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on Thursday and by the Rajya Sabha in the early hours of Friday after marathon debates in both Houses of Parliament. The bill aims to streamline the management of Waqf properties (assets permanently donated by Muslims for religious or charitable purposes) with provisions to safeguard heritage sites and promote social welfare.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar supported the bill in Parliament.
"Ajit Pawar's support to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill is a sign of his helplessness for power. His secular mask has been exposed and he has betrayed the Muslim community," Sapkal told reporters.
Despite joining the government in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Ajit Pawar and his NCP claimed they had not abandoned the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. However, their true face has now been exposed, he alleged.
By supporting the BJP-led government's Waqf Bill, Ajit Pawar has completely surrendered to the BJP for the sake of power. He not only betrayed his uncle, Sharad Pawar, by taking the party's name and symbol with the BJP's help, but also aligned himself with communal forces for power, the Congress leader hit out at the deputy CM.
"Ajit Pawar continues to claim that his participation in the Mahayuti government is for the sake of development and that he has not abandoned the progressive ideals. However, his actions tell a different story," he said.
"At an Iftar party, he made bold declarations that those harassing the Muslim community would not be spared or forgiven. But within a few days, his NCP faction supported the Waqf Bill, thereby betraying the Muslim community," he said.
The bill is nothing more than a ploy by the BJP government to intimidate the Muslim community and seize thousands of acres of land, he said.
The BJP government has already set a course to hand over key properties, including those in Dharavi, to a particular industrialist. After acquiring Waqf lands, this government will hand them over to their favoured business tycoons. Ajit Pawar, a senior leader, is fully aware of this, yet he is unable to stay away from power. He has bowed before the BJP and supported the bill, Sapkal alleged.
"Ajit Pawar's actions reveal the hypocrisy of his politics. What he preaches and what he practices is entirely different. People must recognise this deception and stay alert," he warned.
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Woman killed by tenants while collecting rent in Ghaziabad
Ghaziabad(UP) (PTI): A 48-year-old woman was killed allegedly by her tenants when she went to their flat to collect rent, police said on Thursday.
The deceased, identified as Deepshikha Sharma, was killed around 11 pm at Aura Chimera Society, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Nandgram Upasna Pandey said.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Deepshikha and her husband, Umesh Sharma, owned two flats in the society, one of which had been rented out to a couple.
She went to the rented flat to collect rent but did not return till late night, raising suspicion.
Her maid, along with neighbours, went to the flat to look for her, following which Deepshikha's body was recovered stuffed inside a red bag from the flat, the ACP said.
Police were informed at around 11.15 pm through the PRV, after which a team reached the spot and arrested the couple, identified as Ajay Gupta (35) and Akriti Gupta (33), she said.
A case was registered and the body was sent for post-mortem examination. Further investigation is underway, the ACP added.
#WATCH | Amethi, UP: On Landlady murdered over rent dispute, UP Women Commission Member Priyanka Maurya says, "... This incident has disgraced humanity. It is saddening and painful to hear about incidents like this. The couple have been arrested, and I believe strict action will… pic.twitter.com/Nj88sbYmHg
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2025
