Waqf bill aimed at marginalising Muslims: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday called the Waqf (Amendment) Bill a weapon, aimed at marginalising Muslims and usurping their personal laws and property rights.
In a post on X, the Congress leader said, "This attack on the Constitution by the RSS, BJP and their allies is aimed at Muslims today but sets a precedent to target other communities in the future."
He added, "The Congress party strongly opposes this legislation as it attacks the very idea of India and violates Article 25, the Right to Freedom of Religion."
The Lok Sabha passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill late in night after a 12-hour debate.
The Bill was passed after all amendments moved by the opposition members were rejected by voice votes. It was passed after division of votes -- 288 in favour and 232 against.
The Bill will now come up in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
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.
UP minister calls for renaming Agra's Shahjahan Garden after Ahilyabai Holkar
Lucknow, Apr 6 (PTI): Uttar Pradesh minister Baby Rani Maurya has urged Shahjahan Garden in Agra be renamed after the Malwa Kingdom queen Ahilyabai Holkar.
The Women Welfare Minister made the urge in a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
"Yes, I wrote to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ji on the issue and my proposal to name the Shahjahan Garden after progressive queen Ahilyabai Holkar who did a lot for women's empowerment. It would soon be a reality as our governments have always promoted women's empowerment," Maurya told PTI.
Shahjahan Garden is a Mughal-era green space between the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort in the Agra district.
Maurya said she "strongly identified" with Ahilyabai Holkar and has at her heart the issue of women's empowerment.
"So I feel that the renaming of this garden that draws people from across the globe would inspire the masses, women in particular … there is nothing wrong in such renaming," the Agra Dehat MLA said.
Maurya said instructions have been issued to look into the Shahjahan Garden renaming.
Over the years, UP has seen a litany of similar demands, involving invariably a Mughal-era nomenclature for replacement.
On March 29, posters demanding renaming Muzaffarnagar to 'Laxminagar' came up in the western UP district.
Calls have been made to rename Aligarh as Harigarh, Mainpuri as Mayanpuri, Sambhal as Prithviraj Nagar or Kalki Nagar, Sultanpur as Kushbhavanpur, and Ghazipur to Gadhipuri.
The opposition parties have decried these moves as tactics to divert people's attention from pressing issues.
The UP government has already renamed Allahabad as Prayagraj, and Faizabad as Ayodhya.
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Sharvendra Bikaram Singh said it has become a "fashion" among BJP leaders to make such demands.
"Its leaders make such demands because the BJP has failed. The government should instead focus on the real development issues that can benefit the common man," Singh said.
