National News
Cabinet approves proposed changes to Waqf Bill, clears decks for tabling in Parliament: Sources
New Delhi, Feb 27: The Union Cabinet has approved the amendments to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, incorporating the changes recently recommended by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), sources said on Thursday.
The Bill will now be tabled for discussion and passage in the second half of the budget session, which will be held from March 10 to April 4. The first part of the budget session was held from January 31 to February 13.
The Cabinet accepted 14 alterations made by the JPC in its meeting on February 19, the sources said.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill proposed 44 changes to laws governing central and state Waqf boards.
The proposals — which include nominating non-Muslim and (at least two) women members to a Waqf Board — triggered furious protests from the opposition. The Bill was referred to the JPC in August 2024 after it was introduced in the Lok Sabha by the Minister of Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju.
The parliamentary panel adopted the report with a majority vote, while all 10 MPs from opposition parties in the panel had objected to the report. They had also moved dissent notes.
Sources have said that the government has incorporated most of the changes recommended by the JPC headed by Jagdambika Pal, and the Cabinet cleared it last week along with the Indian Port Bill.
Key amendments to the Bill include renaming the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 with the proposed name, ‘Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development (UMEED) Bill’, the State Waqf Boards will include one member from the Muslim OBC community, safeguarding women’s inheritance rights, uploading all Waqf property details on a central portal within six months.
On August 8, 2024, two Bills — the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024 — were introduced in the Lok Sabha to streamline the Waqf Board’s work and ensure the efficient management of Waqf properties. The objective of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, to redress the issues and challenges in regulating and managing Waqf properties.
The Amendment Bill seeks to improve the administration and management of waqf properties in India. It aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards by introducing changes such as renaming the Act, updating the definitions of waqf, improving the registration process, and increasing the role of technology in managing waqf records. The primary objective of the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024, is to repeal the Mussalman Wakf Act, 1923, a colonial-era legislation that has become outdated and inadequate for managing waqf properties in modern India, according to a government press release. The repeal aims to ensure uniformity, transparency, and accountability in the administration and management of waqf properties and eliminating inconsistencies and ambiguities caused by the continued existence of this redundant law.
Crime
MMRDA declares airport-adjacent structure illegal; Kirit Somaiya demands immediate demolition

Mumbai, Sep 10: Tensions have escalated near Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Terminal 2) after the Maharashtra Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) confirmed that a religious structure operating near the high-security zone lacks statutory planning permissions and is unauthorised.
Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kirit Somaiya has alleged a deliberate attempt at unauthorised land occupation — characterising the structure as “Land Jihad” — and has pressed state authorities and site operators to initiate criminal action against the trustees and individuals responsible.
Following complaints regarding unauthorised construction near sensitive airport land, MMRDA verified that no official approvals, building sanctions, or permissions were ever granted for the religious structure.
MMRDA has issued formal notices to Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) directing the immediate removal and demolition of the unauthorised structure to ensure the perimeter remains clear.
Somaiya has formally requested both MMRDA and MIAL to go beyond physical clearance by registering a First Information Report (FIR) against the managing trustees and individuals associated with the illegal construction.
The controversy highlights ongoing scrutiny surrounding unauthorised encroachments adjacent to critical national infrastructure. Officials note that unregulated structures near VIP corridors, taxi parking lanes, and terminal facilities pose significant security hazards.
The matter aligns with previous judicial observations where courts have emphasised that public safety and secure zones near international hubs supersede unauthorised religious claims or structures erected without explicit administrative approvals.
Authorities from MIAL and local police departments are currently reviewing directives provided by MMRDA regarding execution steps and necessary security arrangements during the scheduled clearance drive.
Crime
Priyanka Gandhi office warns against her deepfake videos asking people to invest money

New Delhi, Sep 10: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday urged people to stay cautious of misleading and fabricated videos allegedly featuring her and asked them not to fall prey to fraudulent and deceitful calls for investment in real estate projects or any other futuristic ventures.
Priyanka Gandhi’s office flagged the issue after her deepfake videos surfaced and were seen in circulation on multiple social media platforms.
It has urged the Congress leader’s followers and others to neither click on those posts nor give consent to any requests made in the AI-generated video.
Issuing a formal scam alert on Instagram, Priyanka Gandhi’s office warned the public against fake, AI-generated videos that have apparently used her face and voice to cheat the people and hoodwink them into fraudulent investments.
“Fake videos using AI-generated images and voice of Smt Priyanka Gandhi Vadra ji is circulating on WhatsApp, Instagram and other social media platforms asking people to invest money,” Cong MP’s office informed on its Insta handle.
“These are scams. Please do not click or invest,” it further said.
The Congress MP also asked the people to block such posts at the first instance and also report them to the relevant authorities for suitable action.
Such scams using deepfake and AI-generated videos of famous personalities have mushroomed in the past few years, making many gullible investors prone to huge financial losses.
A deepfake video is made by using AI to simulate a person’s face and voice, making it a facsimile copy of the target.
The scammers distort and misuse the cutting-edge technology to generate misleading videos, featuring unauthorised images of prominent figures and then try to rob people of their money.
In the recent past, deepfake videos of industrialists like Infosys founder Narayana Murthy and Reliance’s Mukesh Ambani also surfaced, where the online scammers and fraudsters used AI-doctored videos to lure citizens into fraudulent investment traps, leading to huge losses to investors.
National News
Jammu Municipal Corporation demolishes 20 shops in Satwati area

Jammu, Sep 10: Jammu Municipal Corporation officials on Thursday demolished 20 shops in Satwati area of the city even as the shopkeepers alleged that no prior notice was served to them.
Reports said the Jammu Municipal Corporation today demolished around 20 shops at Satwari Chowk, triggering anger among shopkeepers who alleged that the decades old commercial establishments were demolished without any prior information or notification.
The shops, according to the affected shopkeepers, had been operating at the location for around 50 years, with the occupants claiming that they had been regularly paying monthly rent to the municipal authorities.
Angry shopkeepers alleged that the demolition was carried out without giving them adequate notice or information, leaving them with little opportunity to remove their belongings or make alternative arrangements. The action comes against the backdrop of the long-pending issue of rehabilitation of shopkeepers affected by development works in the Satwari area.
The UT Cabinet had earlier approved a rehabilitation and resettlement scheme for shopkeepers and open-space kiosks affected by road widening at Nai Basti, Satwari Chowk.
A Jammu Municipal Corporation official, however, said that the affected shopkeepers would be relocated to another site within six months.
The assurance has failed to convince the affected traders, who said they had heard assurances of rehabilitation earlier as well, but continued to face uncertainty over their livelihood. The issue of rehabilitation of Satwari shopkeepers has been raised repeatedly by traders’ bodies.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry has previously stated that affected shopkeepers had been paying rent to the municipal authorities and had sought alternate sites and rehabilitation.
Shopkeepers affected by the Jammu Municipal Corporation actions argue that relocation promises are uncertain and have demanded immediate financial compensation.
In June 2026, Jammu Development Authority (JDA) cleared over 30 illegal structures near the Jammu railway station, reclaiming state land valued at Rs 10 crore.
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