'Govt eyeing Waqf land, could seek temple trust properties next': Uddhav Thackeray

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray stated on Thursday (April 3, 2025) that his party voted against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Parliament to oppose the BJP-led Central government’s “plan to grab land” to benefit its “industrialist friends”. However, Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde hit back, calling the Shiv Sena (UBT)‘s stand against the Bill “biggest crime”.

Mr. Thackeray pointed to the BJP’s “hypocrisy” and called the speeches of the BJP MPs “sheer appeasement”. On the one hand, they made speeches appeasing Muslims while on the other, targeted parties that voted against it, he said. “If the Bill favours Muslims as per the speeches of the BJP and their alliance party leaders, and we are against the Bill, then how can they say we abandoned Hindutva? Who left Hindutva, the BJP or us?” the former Maharashtra Chief Minister asked.

The Lok Sabha passed the Bill on Wednesday, with 288 MPs in favour and 232 against. Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs voted against the Bill.