PM Modi, HM Shah extend Bohag Bihu greetings to people of Assam

New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Waqf (Amendment) bill tabled its report in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday amidst uproar by the members of the Opposition members. As the chaos prevailed, the House was adjourned for 10 minutes and convened again with both sides engaging in discussion on the bill.

Leader of the House J.P. Nadda also condemned the Opposition for creating a ruckus during the reading of the President’s note.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, called the report “unconstitutional” and “fake.” He claimed that multiple members had submitted dissent notes, but the majority view was forced through without due consideration.

“The JPC report on Waqf had dissenting views from several members, but they were bulldozed. This is not right. It is condemnable and an anti-democratic act,” Kharge stated.

Expressing “shock,” he said, “The dissenting views were deleted, and the report is being tabled. I condemn this, and the House will never accept this fake report.”

He demanded that if dissenting views were excluded, the report should be withdrawn and reviewed again. He urged Leader of the House J.P. Nadda to take back the “unconstitutional” JPC report.

Following the uproar, Nadda hit back at the Opposition, slamming their conduct. “Debates and discussions are necessary in Parliament. In a democracy, we agree to disagree. But we must uphold traditions and conduct proceedings in a constitutional manner,” he asserted.

Expressing disappointment, he added, “Despite repeated requests from the Chair, the Opposition disrupted the House even during the President’s message. This behaviour is highly irresponsible and deserves strong condemnation.”

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also targeted the Opposition, accusing them of “misleading” the issue. He stated that no part of the report had been deleted or altered.

“Some of the concerns raised by the Opposition were verified, and I found that no section of the report was removed. Everything has been tabled before the House. On what basis are these allegations being made? Do not mislead the issue,” Rijiju said, dismissing the claims as false.

He further pointed out that the Opposition was actively involved in the preparation of the report over the past six months.

Jagdambika Pal, BJP MP and Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, had earlier said that the committee was presenting its report after months of consultations.

Pal highlighted that disagreements were part of the legislative process. He added that even after the report’s finalisation, dissenting members were invited to submit their notes of dissent, which were included in the final report along with stakeholders feedback.

Despite this, opposition leaders continued to express their objections. Trinamool Congress MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Md Nadimul Haque, both JPC members, accused the committee of expunging key portions of their dissent notes from the final report.

The Waqf Act of 1995, introduced to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticized for mismanagement, corruption, and illegal encroachments. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to address these concerns by implementing reforms, including digitisation of records, enhanced auditing measures, improved transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim unlawfully occupied properties.

–IANS

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Bengaluru, Jan 29 (IANS) The infighting within the BJP’s Karnataka unit has come out into the open with the party’s Chikballapur MP and former minister K. Sudhakar on Wednesday lashing out at state President B.Y. Vijayendra and warning that if national leaders fail to take action, the party has no future.

Addressing the media in Bengaluru, Sudhakar expressed his dissatisfaction, stating that he has not been treated well since joining the BJP from the Congress.

“I joined the BJP believing in its democratic values and the principles of the RSS. I contested from Chikkaballapur, where the BJP had no presence. Seventeen of us joined the BJP to make B.S. Yediyurappa the Chief Minister. After Yediyurappa’s resignation, I worked closely with CM Basavaraj Bommai. Yet, those who claim to be building the party targeted me and tried to ensure my defeat,” Sudhakar said, taking direct aim at Vijayendra.

“Mr Vijayendra, can you win even one seat in Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts on your own?” he said in a direct challenge.

Sudhakar accused Vijayendra of making arbitrary appointments within the party. “Vijayendra has appointed Sandeep as the district President of Chikkaballapur. He has filled key positions – District President, State Secretary, State General Secretary, and State Vice President – solely based on his personal preferences. I am deeply disappointed by his behaviour,” he alleged.

He further criticised the internal election process within the BJP. “Elections are being conducted within the party, and nominations for district Presidents have begun. These elections should be held democratically. However, in Chikkaballapur and several other districts, no elections were conducted. You only want people who say ‘yes’ to you,” he remarked.

“You (Vijayendra) became the state President through manipulation. The entire election process for the state President’s post has been rigged. I have not yet brought these issues to the notice of your father, Yediyurappa. The entire party is unhappy with the way things are unfolding,” he claimed.

“He (Vijayendra) does not take anyone into confidence. He may have thousands of crores, but his followers worked to ensure my defeat. He did not even extend me the courtesy of informing me before appointing the district President. He ignores my calls. National President J.P. Nadda grants appointments with just a message, yet Vijayendra has cancelled meetings three times after fixing them. Are you trying to bury us in our own strongholds?” Sudhakar asked.

“I am frustrated, and I will not remain silent. What have you done to senior leaders like C.T. Ravi, Basavaraj Bommai, and Ramesh Jarkiholi? As state President, you barely won from a BJP stronghold – and that too through adjustment politics. The results would have been different if another candidate had been fielded. We all know who you rely on. He may bring in money through real estate, but in politics, that doesn’t count. I will personally meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to bring all these issues to their attention,” Sudhakar warned.

“You may be Yediyurappa’s son, but you cannot compare yourself to him. Vijayendra practices politics of enmity. Are you holding a grudge against me just because I worked closely with then-CM Basavaraj Bommai?” he questioned.

“If this continues, it becomes a matter of our survival, and I will have to take a stand. Vijayendra is on a path to destroying the party. His arrogance is to blame, and I will urge the high command to either change his mindset or replace him. Several MPs have shared their concerns with me. Soon, we will demonstrate our collective strength,” he said.

Amid demands over his replacement as state BJP chief, B. Y. Vijayendra said last Thursday that everything will be clear in the coming days.

“Our workers have shown appreciation for my efforts. It is natural for a few to express dissatisfaction, but their dissatisfaction is not about my leadership. We operate in a democratic system. Elections for district President positions are already underway, and elections for the state President’s position will also be held. There will be proper answers to all issues in the coming days.”

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) The number of tax refunds has recorded a 46.31 per cent jump to Rs 3.08 lakh crore between April 1 and November 27 this year compared to the same period of 2023, marking a significant increase in the efficiency of the Income Tax Department, according to figures released by the Union Finance Ministry on Thursday.

In the corresponding period last year between April 1, 2023, and November 30, 2023, refunds totalling Rs 2.03 lakh crore were issued, reflecting the Ministry’s concerted efforts to expedite the process this year. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) played a crucial role in achieving this milestone, the statement added.

In its year-end review, the Finance Ministry also said that within just a week of processing, an impressive 26.35 per cent of IITRs for FY 2024-25 were cleared — a significant improvement compared to the 22.56 per cent achieved during FY 2023-24.

This year-on-year surge showcases not only the capacity of the system but also the proactive engagement of taxpayers in adhering to filing deadlines.

At its peak this year the Income Tax Return portal handled more than 900 filings in a second and nearly 70 lakh ITRs (Income Tax Returns) in a day, the figures show.

This year a record of over 1.62 crore ITRs were processed in a single day for A.Y. 2024-25, according to the statement.

The highest filing of ITRs in one day was 69.93 lakh ITRs filed on July 31, 2024. A total of 8.50 crore ITRs were filed till November 22, which is 7.32 per cent higher than ITRs filed for the corresponding period of the preceding year.

The Demand Management Facilitation Centre was established to simplify the management of tax demands by providing taxpayers with a single point of contact for all issues related to outstanding tax demands which helped to speed up filings, the statement said.

“The Central Board of Direct Taxes strives for greater transparency through timely release of data and assists taxpayers through timely awareness campaigns,” the statement added,

A special initiative was undertaken to address 35 lakh failed refund cases from various assessment years, ensuring refunds were processed for validated bank accounts. This step not only expedited the issuance of pending refunds but also streamlined the overall process.

–IANS

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