Take back Waqf Bill, actor-politician Vijay tells BJP-led Centre
Chennai (PTI): Actor-politician Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam chief Vijay on Thursday dubbed the Waqf bill passed by the Lok Sabha "anti-democratic" and demanded that it be taken back and if this demand was not met, his party would join forces with Muslims in their "Waqf rights legal struggle."
The bill that has been adopted in the lower house of Parliament has "once again put a question mark over the dignity of the Constitution and secular Indian democracy's basic principles," Vijay alleged in a statement and condemned the BJP government for "taking up anti-Muslim politics."
Accusing the BJP of pursuing "majoritarian and divisive politics", he wondered whether the bill was not a "psychological attack" on Muslims and rejected the BJP-led Centre's arguments in support of the bill.
"The TVK urges that the anti-democratic bill be immediately taken back heeding the voice of all democratic forces. In case the union government led by the BJP does not do this, the TVK will join forces with Muslim brothers and take part in their Waqf rights legal struggle," Vijay said.
Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka have passed resolutions seeking withdrawal of Waqf amendment bill and the TVK also passed a resolution in its recent general council meet demanding that the bill be withdrawn.
The Lok Sabha early on Thursday passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after over a 12-hour debate, which saw the ruling NDA strongly defending the legislation as beneficial for minorities, while the opposition described it as "anti-Muslim".
The Bill, being debated in the Rajya Sabha on April 3, is expected to be passed.
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Put petty politics aside; it's not about one party, but India: Rahul on TMC's loss in polls
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday termed the BJP's victory in Bengal and Assam assembly polls a "theft" of the mandate, and a big step forward in the saffron party's mission to "destroy" Indian democracy.
Gandhi also came out in support of the TMC, which has been trounced by the BJP in the polls, and urged those gloating over the loss of Mamata Banerjee's party to put petty politics aside.
"Some in the Congress, and others, are gloating about TMC's loss.They need to understand this clearly - the theft of Assam and Bengal's mandate is a big step forward by the BJP in its mission to destroy Indian democracy," Gandhi said in a post on X.
"Put petty politics aside. This is not about one party or another. This is about India," he said in his post.
The BJP ousted Trinamool Congress from power in Bengal and captured power for the third time in a row in Assam in results of assembly polls declared on Monday.
