BJP working like real estate company: Akhilesh Yadav on Waqf bill
Lucknow (PTI): The Waqf (Amendment) Bill is just an excuse to sell land in the interest of BJP members, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said on Thursday and claimed that the saffron party was working like a real estate company.
He also suggested that the BJP rename itself to the "Bharatiya Zameen Party".
In a post on X, Yadav said the bill that seeks to amend provisions of the Waqf Act, 1995, were merely an excuse.
"The target is to sell defence, railway, Nazul land. Waqf board lands are just another link in the chain of 'schemes for the benefit of BJP members' after defence land, railway land, Nazul land," he said in Hindi.
"Why doesn't the BJP openly write: 'Issued in the interest of BJP members'," Yadav added. "A guarantee should be provided in writing that Waqf Board lands will not be sold."
Attacking the saffron party, Yadav said the BJP was working like a real estate company.
He added, "It should change its name by writing 'zameen (land)' in place of 'janata (people)' -- Bharatiya Zameen Party."
Yadav has already announced that the Samajwadi Party would oppose the bill, accusing the BJP of trying to snatch the rights of Muslims.
"The BJP's only work is to divide Hindus and Muslims, snatch the rights of Muslim brothers and work on how to snatch the rights given to them in the Constitution," he had said.
The bill, which seeks to amend the law governing Waqf boards, has proposed far-reaching changes in the present law, including ensuring the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies.
It also seeks to rename the Waqf Act, 1995, as the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995.
According to its statement of objects and reasons, the bill seeks to omit Section 40 of the current law relating to the powers of the board to decide if a property is Waqf property.
It provides for a broad-based composition of the Central Waqf Council and the state Waqf boards and ensures the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies.
The bill also proposes the establishment of a separate board of Auqaf for the Bohras and Aghakhanis. The draft law provides for the representation of Shias, Sunnis, Bohras, Agakhanis and other backward classes among Muslim communities.
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BJP, TMC hail SC directions on counting of votes for West Bengal polls
Kolkata (PTI): The BJP and TMC on Saturday both hailed the SC directions on the Election Commission's circular over the deployment of central government personnel for vote counting in West Bengal.
The apex court on Saturday said no further order was necessary on the TMC's plea challenging the Calcutta High Court's dismissal of its petition against the April 13 circular.
In a social media post, BJP leader Amit Malviya said, "In yet another legal setback, the Supreme Court has refused to intervene. The Trinamool Congress had approached the court challenging the exclusion of state government employees from vote-counting supervisor duties, and had sought an urgent hearing."
"The refusal to entertain this plea underscores a clear message -- attempts to influence or cast doubt over the integrity of the counting process will not find easy validation. Another day, another judicial rebuff for Mamata Banerjee," he added.
The TMC, however, claimed that the SC directions vindicated its stand.
"The issue raised before the Hon'ble Supreme Court pertained to the implementation of the said communication in a manner whereby only Central Government/Central PSU employees were being appointed as Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants for counting of votes," the party said in a statement.
The TMC said it was highlighted that such an interpretation and implementation of the communication would be contrary to the framework of a fair and balanced counting process.
"After hearing the parties, the Hon'ble Supreme Court directed that Clause 1 of the communication dated 13.04.2026, relating to the appointment of Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants, must be read along with the salient feature contained in the second page of the said communication, which provides for random selection of both State Government and Central Government employees," it said.
"The Hon'ble Supreme Court has further recorded the undertaking of Mr Dama Seshadri Naidu, learned Senior Advocate appearing for the Election Commission of India that the said communication shall be followed in its letter and spirit," it added.
The TMC said that in view of the directions, it is expected that the counting of votes shall be conducted in a fair, transparent, and balanced manner.
A special bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi said the EC can choose the counting personnel, and its April 13 circular, which provides for deployment of state government employees as well, cannot be said to be incorrect.
The poll body said the apprehensions of TMC of any wrongdoing are misplaced, as the circular very clearly states that there will be a mix of central and state government employees.
The EC assured the court that the circular would be implemented in letter and spirit, and there would be state government employees also during the counting of votes on May 4.
Polling for the 294-member West Bengal assembly was held in two phases -- April 23 and April 29. The counting of votes will be taken up on May 4.
On April 30, the Calcutta High Court dismissed the TMC's petition against the Election Commission circular, saying there was no illegality in the poll panel's decision to appoint counting supervisors and assistants from Central government and Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) employees, instead of the state government staff.
