Modi slams Indian Congress on Waqf Act

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lambasted the Indian Congress for amending the Waqf law in 2013, saying the motivation behind the party's move was to win elections through the politics of appeasement. Addressing a gathering in Haryana, the Modi asked the Mallikarjun Kharge-led party to appoint a Muslim chief if it had any sympathy for the largest minority community in the country.

Addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone of a new terminal building AT Hisar's Maharaja Agrasen Airport and flagging off a commercial flight to Ayodhya, PM Modi said the Congress pleased only a few fundamentalists in the Muslim community.

"From Independence till 2013, there was a Waqf law. But to win elections, and in pursuing a politics of appeasement and vote bank, the Congress made amendments in the Waqf law hurriedly late in 2013 so that it can get votes in elections (few months later in 2014)," said Modi.

"If they (Congress) have some sympathy for Muslims, they should appoint their president from the Muslim community. Why don't they do it?" he asked.

He also asked the Congress to give 50 percent election tickets to Muslims. "After they win, they will put forth their views," said Modi.

He said the real truth of the Congress was that it had no intention of working for the welfare of any community, including Muslims.

Modi said the Waqf board owned lakhs of hectares of land in the country, which could have been utilized for the benefit of the poor, the destitute women, and children. "Had it been honestly utilised, Muslim youths would not have had to spend their lives by fixing puncture tyres," he added.

Modi said the Waqf only benefited a handful of the land mafia.

"It benefited only a handful of the land mafia. There was no gain to Pasmanda Muslims. This land mafia was looting the land of Dalits, the downtrodden, 'adivasis,' and widows. Hundreds of widowed women wrote to the Centre, and then a debate on this law took place," said Modi.