’Blatant insult to Balasaheb’s vision’, Shiv Sena slams Uddhav Thackeray over Waqf Bill row

Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske took a jibe at Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray over his criticism of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, saying he is “indebted to Muslims for their overwhelming support”.

“To oblige them (Muslims), he has decided to oppose the bill and has additionally termed the Ram Janmabhoomi temple land development a scam,” the Shiv Sena MP said in a video released on Friday.

“We don't expect him to support the bill. But why criticise the Ram Janmabhoomi Andolan? Balasaheb Thackeray had always maintained a firm stance against the Waqf Board, advocating for its dissolution and the reclamation of land involved in illegal encroachments,” he said.

"However, Uddhav Thackeray, who claims to be the torchbearer of his legacy, has betrayed these principles by supporting the Waqf Board. This is a blatant insult to Balasaheb's vision," Mhaske added.

What Uddhav Thackeray had said?

The criticism followed Thackeray's assurance that he would prevent any interference with religious properties, whether managed by the Waqf Board or temples. He emphasized that the matter extends beyond just the Waqf Board and includes temples.

"I am announcing that, be it the Waqf Board or any temple or other religious property, I will not let anyone touch those properties at any cost. This is my promise," he said while addressing a rally on Friday.

"This is not just a question of the board. It's a matter of our temples as well. As Sankaracharya has pointed out, 200 kg of gold was stolen from Kedarnath. That should also be investigated," the former Maharashtra CM said.

What is Waqf Bill?

The amended bill provides for a broad-based composition of the Central Waqf Council and the state Waqf boards and ensures the representation of Muslim women and non-Muslims in such bodies. The Wakf (Amendment) Act, 2013 provided that "at least two of the members appointed under sub-clauses (i) to (viii) shall be women."

The new bill also gives women positions as members but adds that "the creation of waqf-alal-aulad does not lead to the denial of inheritance rights to women".

The bill also proposes the establishment of a separate board for Boharas and Aghakhanis. The draft law provides for the representation of Shias, Sunnis, Bohras, Agakhanis and other backward classes among Muslim communities. It aims to clearly define "Waqf as Waqf by any person practising Islam for at least five years and having ownership of such property."

The controversial Waqf bill omits section 40 relating to the powers of the board to decide if a property is owned by Waqf.