New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused Congress of "appeasement politics" and said it framed law concerning Waqf Board which has no mandate in the Constitution. PM Modi made the remarks at a function in BJP headquarters to celebrate party-led Mahayuti's landslide victory in the Maharashtra assembly polls.

He accused Congress of sowing seeds of "appeasement".

"Congress made laws for appeasement. They did not even care about the Supreme Court's order. An example of this is the Waqf Board. The people of Delhi will be surprised. The situation was that before leaving the government in 2014, these people had handed over many properties of Delhi and surrounding areas to the Waqf Board. There is no place for Waqf law in the Constitution given to us by Babasaheb Ambedkar, but the Congress did this to increase its vote bank," he said.

He also alleged that Congress tried to give death penalty to "real secularism".

The Waqf Amendment Bill,2024 is on the agenda of the government in the winter session of Parliament beginning on December 25.

The bill is being examined by a joint committee of the two Houses of Parliament (JPC) led by senior BJP member Jagdambika Pal.

Several rounds of discussions and presentations by stakeholders and representatives of the public were made before the JPC, which were occasionally marred by the opposition walking out.

The bill seeks to bring sweeping reforms, introducing digitisation, stricter audits, transparency and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties. The JPC is holding a series of meetings to gather input from government officials, legal experts, Waqf Board members and community representatives from different states and Union Territories, aiming for the most comprehensive reform possible.

In his speech, PM Modi referred to the landslide victory in Maharashtra.

"This is the third consecutive time that the BJP has emerged as the largest party in Maharashtra, which is undoubtedly a historic feat. This victory is a stamp on the BJP's governance model. The people of Maharashtra have given the BJP many more seats than the Congress and its allies combined. This shows that when it comes to good governance, the country trusts only the BJP and the NDA," he said.

The Prime Minister also attacked the Congress and alleged that its "alignment with urban Naxalism has emerged as a new challenge".

"The Congress party's sole focus is on the family, disregarding the welfare of the nation's people. A party that prioritises family over citizens poses a significant threat to democracy... Notably, Congress's alignment with urban Naxalism has emerged as a new challenge for India. It's alarming to note that these urban Naxalites are controlled by external forces, making it essential for everyone to exercise extreme caution," he said.

"Today, Maharashtra has witnessed the triumph of development, good governance, and genuine social justice. Today, the forces of deception, divisive politics, and family dynasty have been defeated! Today, Maharashtra has strengthened its resolve for a developed India. I congratulate and applaud all BJP and NDA workers across the country," he added.