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Centre to introduce Waqf Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha, faces Opposition resistance

One of the main proposals in the draft Bill is the substitution of the term ‘Waqf’ with the terminology ‘Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development’ in the parent 1995 Act.

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The Central government is prepared to introduce the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha on August 8 to further amend the Waqf Act of 1995, which faced resistance from the Opposition parties. The new Bill has some major alterations, one of which is assigning a role to the ‘district collector’ when disputes related to the Waqf Act are to be solved.

One of the main proposals in the draft Bill is the substitution of the term ‘Waqf’ with the terminology ‘Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development’ in the parent 1995 Act.

Two major amendments are proposed in the Bill: the first makes provisions for the district collector to be appointed as the arbiter in cases of disputes regarding whether any property is Waqf property or government land. This has been effected by introducing clause 3C in the 1995 Act.

Under 3C (1), “Any property belonging to, or seized by, the Government which, before or after the commencement of this Act, has been, or is notified or declared, as a waqf property under this Act shall not be treated as a waqf property.”

According to Article 3C (2), “If any question arises whether any land is Government land, such question shall be referred to the district collector who shall decide the same after making an inquiry, and send a report to the State Government.”. But until the collector sends this report, the property shall not be deemed to be Waqf property.

The constituting of such decisions used to be solely decided by the Waqf tribunal before, whose decision was stated as final under Section 6 of the old Act. This is exactly what the new Bill aims to omit, that is, the words “shall be final”, so that the government may interfere in deciding Waqf property status.

Second, the Bill seeks to abolish the concept of “Waqf by use.” In most cases, under Islamic law, Waqf properties were dedicated orally until documentation became customary. For example, a masjid may be adjudged Waqf if it was used continuously for such purposes without any formal waqfnama. Thus, by abolishing the provisions under “Waqf by use,” the Bill renders the status of Waqf properties uncertain without valid documentation.

The Bill also amends Section 36 which deals with the registration of new Waqf properties, stipulating that no Waqf shall be created except with a formal Waqf deed. It also provides for the applicant to send the applications for registration of Waqf property to the district collector for verification of the authenticity of the application. Where the collector’s report shows that the property is disputed or government land, the Waqf shall not be registered until the dispute is decided by a competent court.

Another important amendment is that it is no longer mandatory that the chief executive officer of a Waqf Board should be a Muslim, a requirement that was there in the original Act.

The introduction of the Bill evoked a sharp response from opposition parties and Muslim organisations. Clear and unequivocal was the stand taken by the AIMPLB: any interference with the Waqf properties and the legal status and powers of the Waqf Boards would not be tolerated. They urged the National Democratic Alliance allies and opposition parties to reject the Bill and scuttle its passage in Parliament.

The opposition parties have declared they will oppose the Bill, while government sources say it is needed to bring transparency to the management of Waqf properties.

The former Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, Tariq Mansoor, called for a dispassionate analysis of the proposed reforms. He mentioned that there is a dire need for social justice and gender equity in Waqf Boards, and technology should be used to manage Waqf properties in a better way. It should learn from best practices in Islamic nations where Waqf organizations are generally found involved in charitable activities.

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National Herald row reignites BJP-Congress face-off amid ED chargesheet

BJP has reignited its attack on the Gandhi family, accusing them of a corporate conspiracy in the National Herald case, while Congress dismisses the ED action as a political vendetta by the Modi government.

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A political slugfest has erupted once again between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress following the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) chargesheet naming Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the alleged money laundering case tied to the now-defunct National Herald newspaper. The BJP has termed the case a textbook example of “corporate conspiracy,” while the Congress has decried the move as an act of “political vendetta” by the Narendra Modi-led central government.

BJP questions Gandhi family’s property acquisition through Young India Ltd

Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, addressing a press briefing, accused the Congress of orchestrating a corporate arrangement to transfer property into the Gandhi family’s hands. He highlighted that in 2008, after the National Herald ceased publication, the Congress gave ₹90 crore to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), the newspaper’s publisher — a transaction he claims violates the norms as political parties are barred from funding private entities.

AJL reportedly failed to repay the loan, after which a non-profit entity, Young India Limited (YIL) — in which Sonia and Rahul Gandhi each hold a 38% stake — acquired the company’s shares and, by extension, its properties across several Indian cities. Mr. Prasad questioned YIL’s charitable work and highlighted that a token amount of ₹50 lakh was paid to AJL before the remaining loan was written off.

“This is the Gandhi model of development,” Prasad said, alleging that the arrangement enabled the Gandhi family to take control of property worth thousands of crores.

BJP expands attack to Robert Vadra

The BJP leader also took aim at Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s husband, Robert Vadra, citing alleged irregularities in land transactions. “Another member buys land for ₹3 crore and sells it for ₹58 crore. The country should learn from this Gandhi model,” he remarked sarcastically.

Congress fights back, terms case a political smokescreen

The Congress has launched protests across the country in response to the BJP’s remarks and the ED’s chargesheet. Senior leader Pawan Khera likened the current actions to pre-Independence times, stating, “Back then, the British hated National Herald, the Gandhi family and the Congress — today the RSS has taken that place.”

Calling the case baseless, Congress leader Sachin Pilot said, “There has been no exchange of funds or transfer of property rights. This case is politically motivated, and the Modi government is attempting to silence the voice of the Opposition.” He affirmed that the party has full faith in the judiciary and will fight the case legally.

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Priyanka Gandhi accompanies Robert Vadra to ED office for second day in Gurugram land probe

Robert Vadra, husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi, appeared before the ED for the second day in the Gurugram land case.

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Robert Vadra Priyanka Gandhi

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accompanied her husband Robert Vadra to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office on Wednesday as he appeared for questioning for the second consecutive day in connection with the Gurugram land case.

Mr Vadra, the brother-in-law of Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, was seen exchanging a hug with Ms Gandhi before entering the ED office. He is under scrutiny in a money laundering probe linked to a 2008 land deal in Manesar-Shikohpur area, now known as Sector 83 of Gurugram.

Focus of the probe: land deal from Congress tenure in Haryana

The investigation stems from a land transaction executed by Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd, a company in which Mr Vadra was formerly a director. In February 2008, Skylight purchased 3.5 acres of land from Onkareshwar Properties for ₹7.5 crore. At that time, Haryana was governed by a Congress-led administration under then Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

In September 2012, four years after the acquisition, Skylight sold the same land to real estate developer DLF for ₹58 crore. The deal later drew public attention after senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka, who was then heading the Land Consolidation and Land Records department in Haryana, cancelled the land mutation, citing violations of the State Consolidation Act and procedural discrepancies.

Haryana Police registered an FIR to examine the deal in 2018, further intensifying the legal scrutiny.

ED questions Vadra under PMLA

On Tuesday, Mr Vadra was questioned for nearly five hours by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), during which his statement was recorded. The businessman has consistently maintained that the case is part of a political vendetta and emphasized that he has cooperated fully with all investigative agencies, submitting numerous documents over the years.

Calling for a closure to what he described as a decades-old matter, Mr Vadra said cases like these should not be allowed to drag on indefinitely.

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Congress slams PM Modi, Amit Shah after ED files chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi

The ED’s chargesheet has accused the Congress leaders of money laundering under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

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The Congress on Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah after the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others in the National Herald case.

Labelling it a blatant act of vendetta politics, the grand old party also condemned the seizure of the newspaper’s assets as a “state-sponsored crime disguised as justice,” vowing to fight back against what it calls an attempt to silence its leadership.

In a fiery statement on X, Congress general secretary in charge of communication Jairam Ramesh accused PM Modi and Shah of orchestrating a campaign of intimidation. “Filing chargesheets against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and others is nothing but the politics of vendetta gone wild,” Ramesh posted. “Seizing National Herald’s assets is a mockery of the rule of law.”

Hitting out at Shah, the Congress leader accused him of going “completely berserk.” He asserted that the Indian National Congress and its leadership refuse to be silenced, stating: “Satyameva Jayate.”

The ED’s chargesheet has accused the Congress leaders of money laundering under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Alongside Sonia and Rahul, it names Congress figures Suman Dubey and Sam Pitroda. Special Judge Vishal Gogne reviewed the document for cognisance, scheduling further proceedings for April 25, with the filing handled by ED’s special public prosecutor, N.K. Matta.

Ramesh asserted that the Congress remains undeterred, promising, “We will not be silenced, and the truth will triumph.” The chargesheet reignites a long-standing legal battle tied to the National Herald, a newspaper associated with the Congress since India’s independence era.

The Delhi Rouse Avenue Court has scheduled a hearing for arguments on the ongoing National Herald case for April 25, 2025.

During a recent session, the presiding judge stated, “The present prosecution complaint shall next be taken up for consideration on the aspect of cognisance before this court on April 25, 2025, when the special counsel for the ED and the investigating officer will ensure the production of case diaries for the court’s examination.”

The prosecution complaint, lodged under Sections 44 and 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002, pertains to allegations of money laundering, as outlined in Section 3, in conjunction with Section 70, and is punishable under Section 4 of the same act, as per the report.

This case has garnered significant attention, following a complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy against Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul, their associated companies, and other individuals involved.

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