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Waqf amendment bill and the TVK also passed a resolution in its recent general council meet demanding that the bill be withdrawn.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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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
