PM's 'Muslims fix punctures' remark gets Oppn backlash

Several Opposition leaders have reacted sharply to a statement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that young Muslims wouldn't need to repair punctures for a livelihood if Waqf properties - or properties meant for charitable or religious purposes under Islamic law - had been used "honestly".

- MPOST BUREAU

NEW DELHI:

While addressing the inaugural ceremony of an airport at Haryana's Hisar yesterday, PM Modi had said that lakhs of hectares of land are Waqf property but they were misused.

"If Waqf properties had been used honestly, Muslim youths wouldn't need to earn a livelihood from repairing bicycle punctures. But only a few land mafia benefited from these properties. This mafia was looting lands belonging to Dalit, backward sections and widows," he said, adding that the amended Waqf law will address these issues.