Samajwadi Party spokesperson gets threat call from man claiming to be linked to Bishnoi gang
Bahraich (UP) (PTI): Samajwadi Party's national spokesperson, Tariq Khan, has allegedly received a threat call from an individual claiming to be associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
The call, made two days ago, has prompted the police to initiate an investigation.
In an audio clip circulating on social media since Saturday evening, Khan, known for his articulate defense of the Samajwadi Party on national television debates, has been subjected to abusive and threatening language.
Talking to PTI, Khan said, "For the past two months, I have been receiving abusive and threatening calls, which I ignored. However, on Friday night, a caller not only hurled abuses but also claimed to be speaking on behalf of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Considering the gravity of the threat, I immediately informed Superintendent of Police and Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav. Now, the audio of that conversation has surfaced on social media."
Khan added, "I have informed the police that this might be a hoax, but it is essential to identify and apprehend the caller. I have provided the police with recordings of the recent conversation along with previous instances."
The party's national president, Akhilesh Yadav, who has been briefed on the situation, has called Khan to Lucknow on Tuesday. If deemed necessary, Yadav might escalate the matter to the Director General of Police.
In the alleged audio recording, the caller initiates the conversation with an ominous warning: "Be careful or your number will come up next."
The caller repeatedly threatens Khan with statements like, "Speak cautiously," "Your number is coming up" and "We will have to act."
When Khan asks the caller about Lawrence Bishnoi, the latter responds aggressively, "You will find out soon. Wait for two to three days. I will show you."
The call ends abruptly with profanities from the unidentified caller.
When asked, Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Ramanand Prasad told PTI, "Whether the call was genuinely from the Bishnoi gang or a fraudster, is yet to be confirmed. However, we are taking the matter seriously. The caller’s number is under surveillance, and efforts are underway to trace him. An officer at the Deputy Superintendent of Police level has been assigned to investigate it."
The ASP said in October last year, the Mumbai police had linked a village in Bahraich district to the murder of Nationalist Congress Party leader Baba Siddique.
Seven suspects — Shiva alias Shiv Kumar, Dharmaraj, Anurag Kashyap, Harish, Akhilendra, Akash Srivastava and Gyan Prakash — arrested from various locations, belonged to Gandara village under the Kaiserganj police station limits in Bahraich.
On October 12, during the Dussehra celebrations in Mumbai, shooters allegedly from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang shot and killed Baba Siddique.
Tariq Khan, a resident of Mohalla Chhoti Bazar, Badi Hat, Bahraich, is the son of Teje Khan, a senior Samajwadi Party leader. Teje Khan has served twice as the chairman of Bahraich Municipal Board.
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Waqf bill attack on Constitution's basic structure, INDIA bloc opposes it: Gogoi
New Delhi (PTI): Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday said the INDIA bloc will oppose the proposed changes to the Waqf law and called the bill an attack on the basic structure of the Constitution with an aim to dilute its provisions, defame minorities, disenfranchise them and divide the Indian society.
Hitting back, former Union minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said when large number of Waqf properties are lying vacant and being looted, the government has all powers to bring a law to regulate it.
He told Gogoi that while he cited Constitution, he did not present a complete picture on its various provisions authorising government to bring laws on various issues, including Waqf properties.
Initiating the debate on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Gogoi accused the government of misleading Parliament, referencing past discussions on the matter.
"This bill is an attack on the basic structure of our Constitution, an attack on our federal structure, and has four primary objectives: to dilute the Constitution, to defame minority communities, to divide Indian society, and to disenfranchise minorities," he alleged.
"The claim that the 2013 UPA government did not act on this issue is false. Repeated allegations have been made," Gogoi said, questioning the necessity of the amendments.
He further argued that the bill had not been adequately discussed with minority representatives.
"In 2023, four meetings of the Minority Commission were held, and yet, there was no mention of the need for a Waqf amendment bill. I ask the government - was this bill drafted by the Minority Affairs Ministry or some other department?"
The opposition MP also raised concerns over Clause 3, which defines individuals practising Islam.
"Minorities are now being forced to prove their religious identity with certificates. Tomorrow, will people from other faiths also have to do this? This is against Article 26 of the Constitution," he said.
"Which community do you want to mislead? The same community that fought for India's independence? The community that sacrificed alongside Mangal Pandey in 1857? You want to tarnish the reputation of a community in which 2 lakh ulema were martyred? You seek to defame the community that supported us during the Quit India Movement? You want to stain the name of the community that supported the Dandi March on April 6, 1930?" Gogoi said.
"You wish to malign the community that opposed the British policy of divide and rule in 1926? You aim to taint the community whose leader, Maulana Hussain Ahmad Madani, demanded complete independence?" he added.
Gogoi also accused the government of spreading misinformation about the bill's impact on women's rights.
"There is an attempt to create the illusion that the existing law discriminates against women. In reality, the law already has provisions for the protection and empowerment of women, including widows," he said.
He also claimed that the Joint Parliament Committee did not take any suggestions of the Opposition into consideration.
Gogoi noted the reduction in revenue allocation from 7 per cent to 5 per cent, arguing that instead of reducing it, the government should consider increasing it to 11 per cent to strengthen the Waqf Board. He also claimed that provisions on imprisonment had been diluted.
"There is a clear attempt to take control of Waqf properties. Today, their eyes are on one minority group; tomorrow, they will target another. We support necessary reforms, but this bill will only lead to increased litigation and more problems," he said.
Countering the Opposition attack, Prasad said the church community is also in favour of Waqf amendment bill as churches too are facing the problem of encroachment by Waqf bodies.
He said the government cannot watch silently as corruption on Waqf properties continue unabated.
"Waqf is not a religious body; it is a statutory body. There are over 8 lakh Waqf properties, including schools, hospitals, and orphanages. Shouldn't there be a mechanism to ensure proper governance? The opposition is politically bound to oppose reforms, but they must look within themselves," he added.
Prasad said that the amendments were necessary to ensure transparency and fairness in Waqf administration.
"The Waqf Bill is about regulating properties, not about targeting any community. If the bill provides more representation to backward Muslims in Waqf affairs, why is the opposition objecting? If Waqf properties are being misused or illegally occupied, the Constitution allows for corrective legislation," he said.
Prasad said the Congress has over the years only paid lip service to the cause of minorities but did nothing to empower them.
He also referenced the Shah Bano case, accusing the Congress of undermining legal reforms for political gains.
"When the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Shah Bano, the Rajiv Gandhi government overturned the decision for vote bank politics. Congress had 400 seats then but never got a majority after that. Today, they continue to oppose necessary reforms for political reasons," he said.
According to the bill, trusts created by Muslims under any law will no longer be considered Waqf, ensuring full control over them.
Only practising Muslims (for at least five years) can dedicate their property to Waqf, restoring the pre-2013 rules. Also, women must receive their inheritance before Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women and orphans, the bill proposes.
