Protests against Waqf Act are political one-upmanship for Muslim votes, says Amit Malviya
New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT cell head Amit Malviya has criticised the ongoing opposition to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, calling it a "desperate attempt" by various Muslim leaders and organisations to claim ownership over the Muslim vote bank.
In a post on X, Malviya alleged that petitions filed in the Supreme Court against the Waqf Act, duly passed by Parliament are part of a larger political game aimed at presenting themselves as protectors of Muslim interests. "None of them wants to be seen distancing themselves from the issue," he wrote.
He specifically named AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), and Congress figures such as Imran Masood and Imran Pratapgarhi. According to Malviya, these leaders are trying to ensure their respective factions remain relevant in Muslim politics. “Owaisi is asserting himself so that Mahmood Madani’s faction doesn’t walk away with all the credit. AIMPLB doesn’t want to appear silent on Muslim issues. The others are simply trying to retain their party’s Muslim vote base,” he added.
Malviya also targeted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of fanning communal tensions. “Some so-called secular leaders, like Mamata Banerjee, have gone a step further by instigating communal riots,” he alleged.
He argued that it is the economically disadvantaged Muslims who ultimately suffer due to this political jockeying. “In this game of one-upmanship between competing factions, it is the poor Muslim who suffers, while valuable public time is wasted,” he said.
Malviya defended the Waqf Act, stating that it underwent a detailed consultation process, including a review by a Joint Parliamentary Committee. He added that multiple judicial rulings were taken into account before the law was passed.
Drawing a parallel with past contentious legislations, he wrote, “A similar storm was stirred during the passage of the CAA and the abrogation of Article 370, both of which withstood judicial scrutiny.”
Meanwhile, political tensions continue in West Bengal over the issue, with the Trinamool Congress blaming the BJP for Waqf-related violence in the state. The BJP, in turn, has criticised Mamata Banerjee for sharing platforms with Islamic clerics despite alleged attacks on Hindu minorities in Murshidabad.
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Saif Ali Khan's attacker urges court to declare his arrest illegal, seeks release from jail
Mumbai, May 9 (PTI): The man accused of stabbing actor Saif Ali Khan on Friday moved an application before a court here seeking to declare his arrest as illegal and sought his release from jail.
Accused Mohammad Shariful Islam (30), a Bangladeshi national currently lodged in the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, on Friday withdrew his bail plea filed in April before a sessions court here.
Later, the accused, through his lawyer Ajay Gawli, moved an application before Judicial Magistrate First Class (Bandra), seeking to declare his arrest as illegal and sought his release from jail.
In the plea, he claimed that his arrest was illegal as the police did not adhere to the provisions of law while apprehending him.
The court asked the police to file its reply and adjourned the matter till May 13.
Khan was repeatedly stabbed with a knife by the intruder inside his 12th floor apartment in upscale Bandra on January 16 this year. The 54-year-old actor underwent an emergency surgery at the Lilavati Hospital. He was discharged after five days.
The accused was arrested by the police two days after the alleged incident.
