Thousands bid tearful adieu to Major Rane in Thane
Thane, Aug 9 : Thousands of people, including grieving family members, bid a tearful goodbye to Major Kaustubh P. Rane, who was consigned to the flames with full military honours in his hometown here on Thursday afternoon.
Rane, 29, was among the four soldiers killed in a gunfight with terrorists near the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipura district on Tuesday.
A stoic Prakash Rane lit the funeral pyre of his son while the soldier's wife Kanika and minor son Agastya stood behind, amidst cries of "Major Kaustubh Rane Amar Rahe," "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" and "Vande Mataram" in Mira Road town.
A military band played the last post. Soldiers, police officials and elected representatives offered their last respects to the Major before the funeral pyre was lit.
Nearby, women soldiers consoled his mother Jyoti, his sister Kashyapi and other relatives who cried inconsolably.
Earlier on Thursday, Major Rane's coffin, draped in the national tricolour, arrived at his hometown in an Army truck where it was received by the family, Army and civilian officials. It was flown to Mumbai late on Wednesday from Srinagar.
As the funeral cortege wend its way through the town, thousands lined the roads on both sides or waited on buildings and terraces, showering flowers and waving the Indian flag.
Since Tuesday, the Mira Road township was in mourning over the death of the Major who lived over 25 years in Sheetal Nagar area, barely five kilometres north of Mumbai.
Large parts of the town observed a spontaneous shutdown as a mark of respect as the funeral procession journeyed from the Rane home in Sheetal Nagar to the Mira-Bhayander crematorium.
The only son of his parents, Rane fulfilled his childhood dreams of joining the armed forces by completing his military training from Pune and was commissioned as an officer from the elite Officers Training Academy, Chennai, in 2011.
Rane was decorated with the Sena Gallantry Medal by President Ram Nath Kovind on the 69th Republic Day celebrations this year.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
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.
