Congress President and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has stood firm against the ‘land grab’ charges levelled against him by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Anurag Thakur. Kharge spoke Thursday, saying it had leeched off his reputation and did Thakur owe the public proof of the accusations. He also further declared that if the allegations were true, he would step down from his position. Besides, he requested Anurag Thakur to quit if he was unable to substantiate his claims.
Anurag Thakur’s attack on the Congress party during adjournment in Lok Sabha Wednesday sparked controversy when the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 came for passage, Accusing the party of misusing Waqf properties for establishing an ’empire’ in the name of the Muslim community, Thakur alleged that the party is using these properties for vote bank machinery. According to him, the opposition, in particular Congress, has been exploiting Waqf lands irresponsibly for political gains.
Speaking in the debate, Thakur said that there were no ‘hubs of corruption’ across the country as Waqf Boards and Congress were trying to create confusion by raising an atmosphere of confusion on the bill. The new amendment, he said, was aimed at bringing transparency and accountability into the management of Waqf properties and ending alleged mismanagement of them.
But these accusations were dismissed by Kharge as baseless and politically motivated. Both claimed such claims were made to steal a Trojan horse, to distract attention from actual issues and to discredit the opposition. It indicates how the war of words between the two leaders has grown deeper with an ever-widening political rift over the proposed bill and what it means. This matter should remain a major point of contention in an ongoing parliamentary session.
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