Mumbai, Feb 13: Maharashtra Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA, Abu Azmi on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Minister Nitesh Rane over his demand for an investigation into madrasas across the state, accusing him of consistently trying to “defame Muslims.”

Rane had raised concerns about an illegal madrasa in Nandurbar’s Akkalkuwa taluka, where a Yemeni national was allegedly planning terror activities.

He urged the Maharashtra government to probe all madrasas in the state to ensure they were not promoting terrorism, specifically warning against links to extremist groups like the Taliban.

Reacting to Rane’s statements, Azmi told media, “I think Nitesh Rane should be given a position where his job is to shock and trouble Muslims, defame them, and abuse them. Every morning, he wakes up thinking of new ways to stay in the news.”

“I don’t think we need to respond to every statement made by Nitesh Rane. But I want to tell people that madrasas teach good values — they teach brotherhood, they teach love for the country. An individual can be wrong, but a madrasa cannot be wrong,” he said.

Azmi argued that the presence of illegal immigrants in a madrasa should not justify filing cases against all madrasas.

“For example, many Indians live illegally in America, the UK, or Saudi Arabia after their visas expire. They work for others, but cases are not filed against those who employ them. This is just his cheap politics,” he remarked.

Dismissing Rane’s allegations, Azmi suggested installing CCTV cameras in madrasas to prove that they focus on education rather than illegal activities. “People will then see that madrasas teach good things,” he added.

Earlier, Rane had told media, “I have written to our Chief Minister, requesting a thorough investigation into all madrasas in Maharashtra to determine whether they are genuinely focussed on education or involved in terrorist activities. There are concerns that they may be promoting groups like the Taliban. Are they trying to make students or trying to make (Osama) Bin Laden?”

“If such anti-national activities continue in Maharashtra’s madrasas, then all of them should be shut down,” he had asserted.

He also highlighted recent action taken by the Maharashtra government in Akkalkuwa taluka, where an illegal madrasa was being run.

“A Yemeni citizen was involved in planning terrorist activities there. The investigation is being conducted by our Maharashtra police,” he had stated.

Rane had previously courted controversy in January when he called for a ban on burqas during Board examinations, citing concerns about potential malpractices.

In a letter to School Education Minister Dada Bhuse, Rane argued that allowing girl students to wear burqas inside examination halls could facilitate cheating and pose security risks.

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.

New Delhi, Feb 13: The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued a notice to AAP legislator Amanatullah Khan in connection with the Delhi Waqf Board money laundering case.

A bench of Justice Vikash Mahajan was hearing a plea filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging the trial court’s refusal to take cognisance of a charge sheet filed against Amanatullah Khan. Asking Amanatullah Khan to respond to the ED’s plea, the Justice Mahajan-led Bench directed the trial court to defer the proceedings till March 21.

On November 14 last year, the Rouse Avenue Court refused to take cognisance of a prosecution complaint filed by the federal anti-money laundering agency against Amanatullah Khan, saying that while there was sufficient evidence to proceed against the former Chairman of the Waqf Board under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the charge sheet was filed without obtaining the requisite sanction under the law. Thereafter, Special Judge Jitendra Singh had ordered that the AAP MLA from Delhi’s Okhla constituency should be released from custody, on furnishing Rs 1 lakh personal bond with a surety of the like amount.

The ED is investigating suspected money laundering related to alleged wrongful appointment of employees and leasing of assets of the Delhi Waqf Board during the tenure of Amanatullah Khan as its head.

Khan was arrested soon after the ED searched the legislator’s house in south Delhi’s Okhla area. The agency alleged that the MLA bought a property worth over Rs 35 crore in Okhla. The legislator is also facing allegations of using corruption money to buy properties in the name of his aides.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has also filed separate corruption cases against the AAP legislator.

The case dates back to November 2016 when a complaint was filed against Khan, who was the then Chairman of the Waqf Board. The complaint accused him of making illegal appointments to various approved and non-approved positions within the Board. Following a CBI investigation, it was revealed that Khan had deliberately ignored the rules to appoint his close associates.

The CBI registered a case, which was later taken up by the ED for a money laundering probe.