Mayawati questions Rahul Gandhi's silence on Waqf Bill during Parliament debate
Lucknow, Apr 12 (PTI): Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday criticised Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for not speaking on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill during a long debate in Parliament.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said "it is natural for Muslims to feel considerably angry and for INDIA bloc partners to be agitated on the issue".
"Despite the opposition denouncing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and dubbing it as a case of flouting the Constitution like the CAA, is the decision of the LoP in Lok Sabha to not speak on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the House despite the fact that there was an extensive debate on the issue justified?" she said in her post on X in Hindi.
Mayawati said that "in any case, the Congress and the BJP are equally guilty of virtually depriving the Dalits of welfare, government jobs, education by virtually making the reservation rights ineffective and redundant".
"It is important that the religious minorities realise the need to escape from the deception of these parties," she added.
The BSP chief said the "Bahujans have fared poorly in all aspects" due to "such tactics of these parties" even as the BJP has the right to take the law in their hands.
"The issue of privatisation in power and other sectors is also worrisome and the government must discharge its constitutional responsibility towards people's welfare in all honesty," she added.
The BSP chief had earlier on Thursday asked the Centre to reconsider the provisions in the new Waqf law and suspend it for the time being.
Mayawati noted that the recently passed Act's provision of including non-Muslims in the Waqf Board prima facie does not appear good.
The Centre on Tuesday notified the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, which got the assent of President Droupadi Murmu on April 5 after its passage from Parliament following heated debates in both houses.
The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha with 128 members voting in favour and 95 opposing it.
It was cleared by the Lok Sabha with 288 members supporting it and 232 against it.
1. वक्फ संशोधन बिल पर लोकसभा में हुई लम्बी चर्चा में नेता प्रतिपक्ष द्वारा कुछ नहीं बोलना अर्थात सीएए की तरह संविधान उल्लंघन का मामला होने के विपक्ष के आरोप के बावजूद इनका चुप्पी साधे रहना क्या उचित? इसे लेकर मुस्लिम समाज में आक्रोश व इनके इण्डिया गठबंधन में भी बेचैनी स्वाभाविक।
— Mayawati (@Mayawati) April 12, 2025
2. वैसे भी देश में बहुजनों के हित, कल्याण एवं सरकारी नौकरी व शिक्षा आदि में इन वर्गों के आरक्षण के अधिकार को निष्प्रभावी व निष्क्रिय बनाकर इन्हें वंचित बनाए रखने के मामले में कांग्रेस, भाजपा आदि ये पार्टियाँ बराबर की दोषी। धार्मिक अल्पसंख्यकों को भी इनके छलावा से बचना जरूरी।
— Mayawati (@Mayawati) April 12, 2025
3. इनके ऐसे रवैयों के कारण उत्तर प्रदेश में भी बहुजनों की स्थिति हर मामले में काफी बदहाल व त्रस्त जबकि भाजपाइयों को कानून हाथ में लेने की छूट। साथ ही, बिजली व अन्य सरकारी विभागों में बढ़ते हुए निजीकरण से हालात चिन्तनीय। सरकार जनकल्याण का संवैधानिक दायित्व सही से निभाए।
— Mayawati (@Mayawati) April 12, 2025
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
