Sat Nov 30 05:01:10 UTC 2024: ## Maharashtra Government Reverses ₹10 Crore Grant to Waqf Board
**Mumbai, November 30, 2024** – The Maharashtra government has reversed its decision to grant ₹10 crore to the state’s Waqf Board, citing the caretaker government’s inability to make such financial decisions. The reversal comes just days after the Department of Minorities issued a government resolution (GR) approving the funds on November 28th. The GR stated the money was intended to strengthen the board.
The ₹10 crore was part of a larger ₹20 crore allocation to the Waqf Board in the 2024-2025 budget. While ₹2 crore was released in June, a subsequent request for ₹10 crore in August was approved and then retracted.
BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis announced that Chief Secretary Sujata Shaunik had rescinded the GR, stating that its authenticity and legality would be investigated after a new government is formed. He justified the reversal by stating that releasing funds during a caretaker government period was inappropriate.
The BJP’s official Maharashtra account on X (formerly Twitter) further labeled news of the initial grant as “fake news,” reiterating the party’s stance that the Waqf Board has no constitutional standing.
The Waqf Board has been the subject of controversy since a related bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha in August, with concerns raised by the Muslim community that it is aimed at targeting their community.
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