With battle lines drawn over the passage of Waqf Amendment Bill in Parliament, the government appears to be confident of getting it passed in Lok Sabha with support from its major allies Janata Dal-United and Telugu Desam Party. Some amendments from the allies have been accepted by the government. Whatever may be the final outcome, I feel, there are four different points of view from which one can look at this bill. One, the government’s view that lakhs of crores of rupees worth Waqf properties are being controlled by a handful of people who are minting money, and this loot needs to be stopped. Two, the Islamic clerics’ point of view, who say that they would lose control over Waqf properties once the bill is passed. They they are trying to strike fear in the minds of Muslims by saying that government will gain control over their mosques and graveyars. Three, the opposition’s point of view, which is worried about its Muslim vote bank and wants to show solidarity with them, at any cost. When vote bank matters, nobody bothers about reforms. Four, the allies of BJP who have been warned by Muslim outfits that if they support the bill, they would lose support of Muslims, but both Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu remained undeterred. In brief: In the beginning, speculations and rumours were spread about the Waqf bill to create fear among Muslims, but this move failed. When the bill will be passed after a marathon debate, many hidden secrets will tumble out of the cupboard. The people at large will come to know, which parties are taking a stand on this bill for Muslim votes, and which parties are in support of reforms.
After Maha Kumbh success, Yogi’s confidence is on top
On Tuesday, UP CM Yogi Adityanath clearly said that namaaz cannot be allowed on roads, because roads are meant for traffic and pedestrians. On those questioning why ‘kaanwar yatra’ is allowed by blocking roads, Yogi said, ” We allow kaanwar yatra, but we also allow Muharram processions too. After the spectacular success of Maha Kumbh, Yogi Adityanath’s confidence is now in top gear. The reason: his policies and intentions are both crystal clear. If he opposes namaaz on roads, he does not hesitate in saying that his police also provides security to Muharram processions. Yogi openly supports tradtion and Sanatan, and he does not mince words when he expresses his views. A leader who has clarity in thought process, gains confidence and his performance becomes better.
Raj Thackeray’s MNS must learn how to earn respect
Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena activists thrashed a private security guard in Powai, Mumbai, for not speaking Marathi. Raj Thackeray told a rally that outsiders who come to Maharashtra for jobs, must learn to speak Marathi, and if they refuse to do so, they will be “taught a lesson”. Shiv Sena(UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has supported Raj’s stand. Shiv Sena (Shinde) and BJP took a middle-of-the-road stance. These parties said, nobody can be allowed to take law into his hands. Beating up outsiders, ransacking shops, creating fear in the minds of North Indians living in Maharashtra have been part of Raj Thackeray’s original brand of politics. But these actions proved futile in elections. Raj Thackeray’s MNS was badly mauled in Maharashtra assembly elections. Now MNS is speaking about Marathi ‘asmita’ (pride), Marathi language and Marathi manus (people). These are part of Maharashtrian tradition, but nobody can gain respect by slapping or beating people and ransacking shops. Nobody respects a person who takes law into his own hands.