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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.

Crime

MMRDA declares airport-adjacent structure illegal; Kirit Somaiya demands immediate demolition

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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.

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Crime

Priyanka Gandhi office warns against her deepfake videos asking people to invest money

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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.

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National News

Jammu Municipal Corporation demolishes 20 shops in Satwati area

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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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