Government order of Rs 10 crore grant to Maharashtra Waqf Board withdrawn

Mumbai: A day after issuing an order for release of Rs 10 crore for strengthening the Maharashtra State Board of Waqf (MSBW), the state government on Friday withdrew it. Many opposed release of funds by a the caretaker government.

The MSBW is headquartered in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, earlier known as Aurangabad.

The Maharashtra government had issued a Government Order (GR), stating that the Finance and Planning department has approved a Rs 10 crore grant for strengthening the MSBW

According to the GR issued on Thursday, Rs 20 crore were earmarked for 2024-25 for strengthening of the state Waqf Board.

Of that, Rs 2 crore were already disbursed to the board.

There was severe backlash after the news went viral on social media platforms.

Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde is currently serving as the caretaker Chief Minister.

In a post on X, the Maharashtra BJP said "fake news" was being spread that the Maha Yuti government gave a grant of Rs 10 crore for the Waqf Board.

"The decision was taken by officers at the administrative level. The GR has been scrapped after stiff opposition by the BJP. The BJP is firm on its stand that the Waqf Board has no place in the Constitution," it said.

BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis, in a post on X, said, “The Chief Secretary has immediately withdrawn the order as the manner in which the administration issued the GR regarding the allocation of funds to the Waqf Board was not appropriate.

"The justification and law will be examined as soon as the new government comes to power in the state."