Nation saw Indira, Rajiv 'bleed' for India: Kapil Sibal hits out at PM for 'shahi parivar' dig
New Delhi (PTI): Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "shahi parivar" dig at the Congress and cited the example of former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, asserting that the nation saw them "bleed" for India.
In a tweet, Sibal said, "PM said: Congress Shahi Parivar wants Karnataka to 'secede' from India. But Modiji: The nation saw them 'bleed' for India Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi."
"Is the NCERT going to efface those facts from textbooks?" he said.
Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were both assassinated in 1984 and 1991 respectively.
Sibal, who was a Union minister during UPA 1 and 2, quit the Congress May last year and was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an Independent member with the Samajwadi Party's support.
He recently floated a non-electoral platform 'Insaaf' aimed at fighting injustice.
Addressing a public meeting in Karnataka on Sunday, Modi said that in this Karnataka election, Congress' 'shahi parivar' (royal family) has gone a step ahead by "breaking all the limits and crushing the feelings of the country".
"Not only Karnataka, I want to tell this to the entire country with a lot of pain that in this election Congress' royal family yesterday came to Karnataka and said they want to protect the sovereignty of Karnataka," the prime minister said.
"Karnataka's sovereignty, you know what is the meaning of it? They have sat in Parliament for so many years, they have taken oath on India's Constitution, and they say this. When a country becomes independent, only then that country is called a sovereign nation. The meaning of what Congress is saying is that the Congress believes that Karnataka is separate from India," Modi had said.
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Parliament passes Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025
New Delhi (PTI): Parliament early Friday passed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after it was approved by the Rajya Sabha.
The Lok Sabha had on Thursday approved the Bill after over a 12-hour debate.
In Rajya Sabha, the Bill got 128 votes in its favour and 95 against after all the amendments moved by the opposition were rejected.
In the lower house, the bill was supported by 288 MPs while 232 voted against it.
Participating in a debate in the Rajya Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Bill was brought with a number of amendments based on suggestions given by various stakeholders.
"The Waqf Board is a statutory body. All government bodies should be secular," the minister said, explaining the inclusion of non-Muslims on the board.
He, however, said the number of non-Muslims has been restricted to only four out of 22.
Rijiju also alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties, and not the BJP, were trying to scare Muslims with the Waqf Bill.
"You (opposition) are pushing Muslims out of the mainstream," he added.
He said for 60 years, the Congress and others ruled the country, but did not do much for Muslims and the community continues to live in poverty.
"Muslims are poor, who is responsible? You (Congress) are. Modi is now leading the government to uplift them," the minister said.
According to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Waqf tribunals will be strengthened, a structured selection process will be maintained, and a tenure will be fixed to ensure efficient dispute resolution.
As per the Bill, while Waqf institutions' mandatory contribution to Waqf boards is reduced from 7 per cent to 5 per cent, Waqf institutions earning over Rs 1 lakh will undergo audits by state-sponsored auditors.
A centralised portal will automate Waqf property management, improving efficiency and transparency.
The Bill proposes that practising Muslims (for at least five years) can dedicate their property to the Waqf, restoring pre-2013 rules.
It stipulates that women must receive their inheritance before the Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women and orphans.
The Bill proposes that an officer above the rank of collector investigate government properties claimed as Waqf.
It also proposes that non-Muslim members be included in the central and state Waqf boards for inclusivity.
