by Editor | Sep 7, 2024 | Uncategorized
NEW DELHI — The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meetings on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill have witnessed heated arguments between opposition members and BJP representatives. During Friday’s meeting, tensions reached a boiling point, prompting JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal to step in and restore order.
The ongoing discussions have seen opposition members, including Kalyan Banerjee (Trinamool Congress), Sanjay Singh (Aam Aadmi Party), and Mohibullah Nadvi (Samajwadi Party), vehemently questioning the necessity of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. “What is the need for this bill?” asked Banerjee during the heated debate. “If Waqf properties have been wrongly claimed, the courts are fully capable of resolving the disputes. Why introduce a new bill?”
The opposition’s pointed questions put BJP members on the back foot, leading to a tense atmosphere. “There is severe anxiety in the Muslim community regarding this bill,” remarked Sanjay Singh, echoing concerns that the bill might lead to further unrest.
During the meeting, officials from various ministries presented their views on the bill, which only fuelled the opposition’s anger. They accused the officials of being partial. “Officers should not just parrot the government’s stance but remain neutral,” urged an opposition member, expressing frustration over what they perceived as a lack of impartiality.
The BJP, however, defended the bill, insisting that it aims to ensure Waqf properties are used solely for religious and public welfare purposes, rather than personal gain. They also argued that the bill would expedite the removal of encroachments on government lands, enabling the completion of key projects. However, opposition members were quick to counter this, pointing out that current laws already provide a framework to challenge improper notifications of Waqf properties.
In one particularly tense moment, officials from the Ministry of Urban Development struggled to answer questions about land acquisition processes dating back to the British era. This prompted accusations from the opposition that the ministry was withholding information and simply following the government’s directives without conducting an independent analysis. “There is an attempt to suppress critical information,” claimed an opposition member, reflecting the deep distrust that has permeated the discussions.
As the debate escalated, Chairman Jagdambika Pal had to step in to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control. The JPC meetings are expected to continue, with both sides preparing for further confrontations over the controversial bill.
by Editor | Sep 7, 2024 | News, Politics
Ankara: Vistara Airlines announced on Friday that its Mumbai-Frankfurt flight that was diverted to Turkey due to security concerns has landed safely in Turkey.
Sharing a post on X, Vistara wrote, “Flight UK27 from Mumbai to Frankfurt (BOM-FRA) has been diverted to Turkey (Erzurum airport) due to security reasons and has landed safely at 1905 hours. Please stay tuned for further updates.”
As per reports, Turkish officials discovered a “bomb on board” note in a lavatory on an aircraft, prompting bomb disposal teams to search and evacuate 234 passengers and 13 crew members.
by Editor | Sep 7, 2024 | News, Politics
New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was “party to the criminal conspiracy” of the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy since the beginning, the CBI has alleged in its latest supplementary charge sheet in the case.
Concluding its probe with the submission of the fifth and final charge sheet in the case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that Kejriwal already had a “pre-conceived idea of privatising” the excise policy, which was scrapped after allegations of corruption surfaced.
“He (Kejriwal) demanded monetary support for his party AAP in the month of March 2021, when the policy was being formulated by the GoM headed by the co-accused Manish Sisodia.
“His close associate and in-charge of media and communication of AAP (and) accused Vijay Nair was approaching different stakeholders of the Delhi excise business and demanding illegal gratification from them in lieu of a favourable excise policy,” the agency has alleged.
The AAP has denied the allegations.
Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI on June 26 from Tihar jail while he was lodged there in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
by Editor | Sep 7, 2024 | News, Politics
New Delhi: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir was a “massive booster dose” for the party and heralded a change in the country’s politics.
“Today is the 2nd anniversary of the start of the truly transformational Kanyakumari to Kashmir Bharat Jodo Yatra. Over 200 Bharat Yatris led by Rahul Gandhi completed the 4000 km long yatra, overwhelmingly on foot, over a period of 145 days and covering 12 states and 2 UTs,” Ramesh said.
“This yatra led to unprecedented connectivity and collectivity and was a massive booster dose for the Indian National Congress. It heralded a change in the politics of our country as well,” he said.
It provided the impetus for the Manipur to Mumbai Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra during Jan-March 2024, Ramesh added.
Rahul Gandhi launched the yatra from Kanyakumari on September 7, 2022. It culminated on January 30, 2023 as Gandhi capped his ambitious 145-day journey in Srinagar.
During the course of the yatra, he addressed 12 public meetings, more than 100 street corner meetings and 13 press conferences. He had over 275 planned walking interactions and more than 100 sitting interactions.
by Editor | Sep 7, 2024 | News, Politics
New Delhi: The BJP-led NDA has a slender majority in Rajya Sabha with the support of six nominated members, which would help the party get the nod for key legislations such as the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
After the recent by-elections, the Upper House has an effective strength of 234, with the BJP having 96 members of its own. The number of NDA MPs is 113. Six nominated members, who usually cast their vote with the government, take the strength of the NDA to 119, two more than the current halfway mark of 117.
The Congress has 27 members in the Upper House and its allies add another 58, taking the opposition alliance numbers to 85.
Among the key fence-sitters are the YSR Congress Party with nine members and the BJD with seven members.
There are four AIADMK members, three Independents and other MPs from smaller parties who are not aligned to either of the two major groups.
Four seats from Jammu and Kashmir in the Upper House are vacant as the Union Territory is yet to get its first legislative assembly. This reduces the effective strength of the Rajya Sabha to 241.
There are 11 vacancies in total: Jammu and Kashmir (4), Andhra Pradesh (4), Nominated (4), Odisha (1).
Two members of the YSRCP and one member of the BJD have quit as Rajya Sabha MPs recently.
The BJD member — Sujeet Kumar — has since joined the BJP, which is expected to win the bypoll to the seat as it has the numbers in the Odisha assembly.
