Jaipur, Apr 16 (PTI) Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Wednesday accused the opposition parties of resisting progressive reforms in the country.

Speaking at a public awareness workshop on Waqf reforms, Sharma said the opposition opposed the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by spreading “baseless” rumours that Muslims would lose citizenship.

“The same forces are now misleading the people on the Waqf law, which is dangerous for the country,” the chief minister alleged.

Sharma said that under the new law, arbitrary claims on properties as Waqf would no longer go uncontested.

“Earlier, Waqf claims were made on any property, and the poor could not even fight for their rights. Now a notice period of 90 days will be given for people to safeguard their rights. Every section will benefit from this, as illegal claims will stop. By authenticating the properties, their use will be ensured as per the rules,” Sharma said.

He also said the income generated from this will be spent on the Muslim community, which will benefit the poor.

“Those opposing the reforms are not doing so for the benefit of Muslims, but to cover up their own misuse of Waqf assets,” he said.

Addressing the workshop, BJP in-charge for Rajasthan Radha Mohan Das Agarwal accused the Congress of exploiting the Muslim community for votes while ignoring their real development.

“The Congress treated Muslims as nothing more than a vote bank. Muslims were left with roles like cobblers, tailors, band members and painters. In contrast, Muslim representation in Central government jobs has risen from 5 per cent to 9.5 per cent in just 11 years of BJP rule,” he claimed.

The BJP leader also claimed that the Congress viewed Muslims as second-class citizens, while the BJP aims to empower them with pride and self-respect.

Highlighting policy outcomes, Agarwal said, “Despite being 15 per cent of the population, Muslims today comprise 31 per cent of beneficiaries under the PM Awas Yojana, 37 per cent under the Ujjwala scheme, 36 per cent under the Mudra scheme, 33 per cent under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, and 70 per cent under the PM’s Employment Generation Programme. This is the result of the Modi government’s inclusive approach based on poverty, not religion.” On the issue of Waqf properties, Agarwal pointed to alleged large-scale mismanagement and corruption.

According to him, Waqf land holdings expanded drastically from 6 lakh acres in 2006 to nearly 38 lakh acres by 2025, yet the annual revenue grew only marginally to Rs 166 crore.

“These assets should be generating Rs 1 lakh crore every year for the welfare of Muslims — for their education, healthcare and employment. Instead, they have been captured by a few individuals,” he claimed.

Rajasthan BJP president Madan Rathore said the new Waqf law is for the welfare of the Muslim community, especially the poor, orphans, widows and marginalised sections.

“Despite holding the largest share of property in the country, Waqf boards failed to use these assets for the upliftment of the community. Those looting Allah’s property must be exposed,” Rathore said.

He also urged BJP workers to communicate the positive aspects of the reforms to counter the “misleading propaganda” by the Congress and other opposition parties.

“Before 2014, the Congress used to spread fear that BJP would harm the Muslims. Now after 11 years of BJP governance, Muslims are progressing and receiving benefits from every major welfare scheme. For the Congress, Muslims are just a vote bank, but for the BJP, they are proud and respected citizens of India,” Rathore said.

He also reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision that by 2047, no community should lag in development.

BJP national secretary Alka Gurjar, deputy chief minister Prem Chand Bairwa, education minister Madan Dilawar, and law minister Jogaram Patel, among other leaders, were present at the workshop. PTI SDA ARI