The Maharashtra government has decided to allocate ₹10 crore to the Waqf Board for the welfare of minorities in the financial year 24-25, several media reports stated. As per the report, the move has been opposed by Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP).
As per The Indian Express report, currently the Minorities Welfare Department has granted ₹2 crore to the Waqf Board in Aurangabad, with a promise to release the remaining funds later.
Speaking on the allocation, the Konkan division secretary of the VHP, Mohan Salekar while speaking to India Today accused the Mahayuti government of engaging in religious appeasement. He said, “Mahayuti government was doing what even the Congress government did not do. Appeasement of the religious community. If this decision is not reversed, Mahayuti parties will have to face the wrath of Hindus in the upcoming elections to local bodies and the assembly,” as quoted by India Today.
In response to VHP's opposition to the fund allocation, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule explained that the state government allocated funds for the Waqf Board's digitisation to correct records. He added that the process aims to identify land wrongfully acquired from Hindus, tribals, and backward classes. Furthermore, he also denied any allegations of community appeasement.
“The funds allocated by the state government was for digitisation of the Waqf Board. The process was necessitated to fix the wrongs. It would help to identity the land which has been wrongly acquired from Hindus and tribals and backward classes,” he said as quoted by The Indian Express report.
