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Govt-Oppn showdown in RS over ‘deletion’ of dissent notes in Waqf JPC report

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New Delhi, Feb 13: The Joint Parliamentary Committee’s (JPC) report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill formed the basis for a fresh flashpoint between the Treasury and Opposition benches in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, the last day of the first half of the Budget Session.

Chaos broke out in Rajya Sabha, the moment the JPC Waqf report was tabled in the House.

Opposition members created an uproar and engaged in sloganeering against the “high-handedness” of the government, claiming that their dissent notes on the Bill were deleted from the report.

The vociferous protests by the Opposition members also invited the ire of House Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, who initially urged them to maintain decorum and then issued a stern warning for creating chaos while he read out the President’s message.

The JPC report was tabled by BJP member Medha Vishram Kulkarni, a member of the panel.

Notably, the committee submitted its report and observations on the proposed amendments on the Waqf Bill to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on January 30.

Many protesting lawmakers from the Opposition said that the dissent notes by JPC members, apparently the Opposition MPs, were erased and accused the government of “crushing” their views and dissent in an arbitrary fashion.

Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, demanded that the JPC report be taken back unless it includes dissent notes by the Opposition MPs.

He termed the JPC report “anti-constitutional and anti-democratic” and demanded that the dissenting views be included in the JPC report.

“Many members gave their dissent notes. It’s not right to remove these notes and bulldoze our views. This is an anti-democratic move. I condemn this report,” the Congress MP said in the House.

“You have the power to refuse the report,” Kharge also said, making an appeal to the Vice-President.

Kharge’s direct charges, however, were rejected by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju who claimed that there was no truth in the allegations as the dissent notes were attached in the report’s appendix.

“These are false allegations. There is no truth in it. There has been no violation of rule,” Rijiju said, while also asking the Opposition MPs not to mislead the House.

Rijiju’s defence, however, failed to convince the Opposition as they continued shouting slogans while raising concerns about the integrity of the report and also its ability to undermine the Waqf Boards.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also weighed in on the controversy and accused the Opposition of misleading the House. She rebuked the Opposition MPs for creating constant din and derailing the proceedings of the House by creating confusion.

Earlier in the day, BJP MP and JPC Chairman Jagdambika Pal told the newsmen that the committee submitted its report after six months of pan-India deliberations with various stakeholders and experts on the subject.

The JPC Chairman had submitted the report to LS Speaker Om Birla himself on January 31. The committee had adopted the draft legislation by 15-11 majority vote.

Even during wide-ranging deliberations of JPC meets, the ruling and Opposition MPs had crossed swords.

BJP members supported amendments, claiming that the impending reforms will bring transparency and accountability in management of Waqf Boards while the Opposition fulminated over the move.

They termed the Bill an attack on the rights of minorities and an unwarranted interference in the functioning of Waqf Boards.

National News

Maharashtra Govt Asks Ladki Bahin Beneficiaries To Complete E-KYC By November 18

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Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has asked beneficiaries of the ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin’ scheme to complete the mandatory e-KYC by November 18.

State Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare said that the honorarium for October will be disbursed from Wednesday, and the amount will be credited directly into the Aadhaar-linked bank accounts of all eligible women beneficiaries.

The state government’s flagship scheme, launched in July last year, provides monthly assistance of Rs 1,500 to women in the 21-65 age group, whose annual family income is less than Rs 2.5 lakh.

The government made e-KYC mandatory for the scheme in September, giving beneficiaries two months to complete the process and issued a government resolution regarding this.

Tatkare, in a post on X, said that the scheme, launched as a social and economic empowerment initiative for women across Maharashtra, continues to gain widespread support and trust from women in the state.

She said that to ensure smooth continuation of the scheme, an e-KYC facility was available on the official portal, ladakibahin.maharashtra.gov.in, since last month, and all beneficiaries have been asked to complete the e-KYC process by November 18.

Talking to PTI, the minister said, “The government has stopped monthly disbursal of Rs 1,500 to 12,000 bank accounts held by men, while the amount disbursed to ineligible women beneficiaries, who were government employees and those covered by other government schemes, over the last year has been recovered.” At present, more than 2.3 crore beneficiaries are registered under the scheme, and the monthly instalment for October will be disbursed from Wednesday, she said.

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Crime

Punjab bypoll: Drugs, liquor, freebies valued at Rs 57.47 crore seized

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Chandigarh, Nov 4: After the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct for the by-election to the Tarn Taran Assembly constituency, Punjab Police, following the directions of the Election Commission, has made seizures of drugs, liquor, cash and freebies valued at over Rs 57.47 crore.

According to details, from October 7, the day the Model Code of Conduct came into effect, till November 3, the police in the Tarn Taran constituency seized 51,429.50 litres of liquor valued at Rs 32,89,160, narcotic substances of Rs 56,67,10,500 (21,811.10 grams), cash amounting to Rs 9,73,480, and other items valued at Rs 37,85,700.

Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C said the police have been directed to maintain round-the-clock surveillance through CCTV cameras at all checkpoints in the constituency to curb illegal smuggling activities.

He added that strict action is being ensured against those attempting to influence voters by distributing cash or any other kind of freebies during the elections.

The Chief Electoral Officer said there are a total of 192,838 voters in the constituency, which includes 100,933 men, 91,897 women and eight third-gender voters. There are 1,357 service voters, 1,657 voters aged above 85 years, 306 NRI voters, and 1,488 voters with disabilities. The number of young voters aged between 18 and 19 years stands at 3,333.

He said there are 222 polling stations set up at 114 polling station locations, of which 60 are urban and 162 are rural.

The Tarn Taran bypoll on November 11 was necessitated by the death of AAP MLA Kashmir Singh Sohal, who had won the seat with 52,935 votes, defeating Shiromani Akali Dal’s Harmeet Singh Sandhu.

Fifteen candidates are in the fray. They include Sukhwinder Kaur of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Harjit Singh Sandhu of the BJP, Harmeet Singh Sandhu of the Aam Aadmi Party, and Karanbir Singh of the Congress.

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National News

Mumbai Police Rescue 60-Year-Old Man Attempting Suicide From 22nd Floor In Malad

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Mumbai, November 4: In a timely and coordinated operation, the Kurar Police in Mumbai prevented a major tragedy by rescuing a 60-year-old man who was attempting to jump from the 22nd floor of a residential building.

The quick-thinking officers acted immediately upon receiving information about the distress call, showcasing the Mumbai Police’s commitment to protecting lives beyond law enforcement duties.

As per a post shared by Mumbai Police on their official handle on X, officials from the Kurar Police Station rushed to the scene soon after receiving the alert.

Recognising the urgency, the police sought assistance from the Fire Brigade, who quickly arrived with rescue equipment. Together, they managed to reach the man and safely bring him down before any harm could occur.

After being rescued, the 60-year-old man was taken to the Kurar Police Station, where he was provided immediate counselling and emotional support. Authorities ensured he was safe and received the necessary care following the traumatic incident.

The Mumbai Police continue to emphasise the importance of mental health awareness and urge citizens to seek help during emotional distress, reminding everyone that timely intervention can save lives.

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