LS approval of Waqf Bill a historic moment, says Karnataka BJP chief; slams Cong

Bengaluru, April 3 (IANS) Karnataka BJP President and MLA, B.Y. Vijayendra, on Thursday expressed his happiness over the Lok Sabha’s approval of a historic Bill on the Waqf Board.

Vijayendra further criticised the Congress for opposing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill both at the state and national levels, calling it a tragedy.

He accused the party’s leaders and politicians of looting land in Karnataka under the guise of the Waqf Board.

“These very Congress leaders are now opposing the Waqf Bill,” he said.

He further stated that discussions on the Waqf Act had been ongoing for several decades across the country and in the state.

“In our state, lands belonging to temples, religious institutions with a history of over a thousand years, and even lakhs of acres of farmland owned by farmers have been forcefully taken under the name of the Waqf Board,” Vijayendra alleged.

“If no one is allowed to question this, what kind of justice is this? What kind of country are we living in?” he asked.

A few months ago, the BJP had protested against this issue, he said.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had set up a parliamentary subcommittee at the Centre to address the injustices and fraud committed under the name of the Waqf Board,” Vijayendra said.

He stated that as the Lok Sabha had granted approval to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill at midnight yesterday, it was a historic moment. “This is an occasion for everyone to celebrate,” Vijayendra said.

He also mentioned that not only Hindus but even Muslims have welcomed this decision.

“To mark the occasion, sweets were distributed among the BJP leaders and workers,” Vijayendra stated.

Vijayendra claimed that many Congress leaders were involved in the Waqf scam.

“Karnataka is the latest example of this. Congress leaders’ names have surfaced in this scam multiple times in the past, which is why they naturally oppose amendments to the Waqf law,” he said.

Vijayendra criticised Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah’s leadership, saying that after becoming the Chief Minister for the second time, he has been acting with arrogance. “His deceptive socialist mask has fallen off during this tenure,” he alleged.

Vijayendra also accused the Congress of using Karnataka as a pawn for the High Command and the Gandhi family, turning it into an ATM during elections.

“We failed to counter the misinformation spread against our previous BJP government, and I accept that. As a result, we are now in the Opposition. But we hold no resentment over this,” he said.

--IANS

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