Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has launched a scathing attack on the Central Government over the proposed Waqf Board Amendment Bill, alleging that it is an attempt to usurp Waqf properties valued at over ₹2 lakh crore. His remarks have intensified the ongoing political discourse surrounding the bill.
Speaking to the media, Raut declared,
“The issue regarding the Waqf Board is over for us. The Waqf Board Amendment Bill is no longer our concern, nor that of the Shiv Sena. That is why some people have approached the court instead of raising the matter under the INDIA alliance.”
He further stated that the bill lacks any religious basis and is purely linked to property and estate management.
“This bill has been introduced to allow certain people in power and their industrialist friends to swallow Waqf Board lands worth ₹2 lakh crore. We strongly opposed it,” he said.
Raut did not hold back as he accused the government of trying to commercialize Muslim community properties for corporate interests.
“This bill is aimed at turning Muslim-owned land into commercial assets. Even they (the government) are aware of this. Amit Shah has hinted at this several times in his speeches—about selling land. What was hidden has now come out in the open.”
He warned that the ruling government could go further, alleging that religious lands belonging to temples and other communities may also be at risk.
“As long as this government remains in power, it will seize religious properties across the country and hand them over to industrialists to build towers,” Raut concluded.
The Waqf Amendment Bill has become a flashpoint for controversy, drawing criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups, who argue that it threatens the sanctity and purpose of Waqf lands, originally meant for charitable and religious use.