'Will expose conspiracy of BJP': Kharge hails SC observations on Waqf Act

Addressing a meeting of party General Secretaries, incharges and frontal organisations’ heads to discuss ‘misuse of agencies’ against the backdrop of ED action against top leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, he also said the Congress got together all Opposition parties on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

New Delhi: Expressing happiness at the Supreme Court giving weightage to the points raised by Congress and other Opposition parties on the Waqf (Amendment) Act, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said they will “expose the conspiracy” of the BJP, which has not left any stone unturned in “spreading rumours and confusion” among people.

Addressing a meeting of party General Secretaries, incharges and frontal organisations’ heads, he also said the Congress got together all Opposition parties on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

He said the Supreme Court is now hearing the challenge to the Act and he is happy that the Supreme Court has given weightage to the issues raised by the Congress and other Opposition parties. The union government had to assure the Supreme Court that it would not implement certain provisions till the next hearing of the case on May 5.

“The issue of ‘Waqf by User’ has been brought up by the government, especially to deliberately put the Waqf properties in dispute…we are confident that we will win this battle too. In this case, the government and BJP leaders left no stone unturned in spreading rumours and confusing people,” he said.

He said they will have to go among the people and make them aware of their side and “expose the conspiracy” of the BJP.

Kharge also referred to the ‘Nyay Path’ Resolution adopted in Ahmedabad and asked the senior leaders to ensure that its message reaches the grassroots. He said the importance of the decisions could be gauged from the fact that Rahul held a meeting with Gujarat leaders regarding district president election and communicated how they should be selected.

Referring to the ED action against Congress top leaders and initiating process to take possession of National Herald assets, Kharge said Sonia and Rahul were named in the chargesheet as part of a “big conspiracy” and “no matter whose name is included, we are not going to be scared”.

“There is no doubt that all this is being done out of revenge. Young Indian is a not-for-profit organisation. This means that no one can take or transfer AJL's shares, properties or profits. BJP people are misleading people by lying. We have to tell the truth to the public,” he said.

He also said it cannot be “mere coincidence” that the ED action came close on the heels of AICC Session in Ahmedabad earlier this month and referred to the central agencies raiding the then Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel just ahead of AICC Plenary Session in Raipur in 2023. “His (Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s) intention was not to let the (Raipur) Session happen. Still it took place,” he said.

“Before the Lok Sabha elections, our accounts were closed, yet the public doubled our strength in the Lok Sabha. Our fight did not weaken,” he recalled.