Telugu Desam Party President and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is under pressure from Muslim leaders of the party to oppose the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, as they say it harms the interests of the community.
As per party sources, TDP’s Muslim leaders have urged Naidu not to support the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act.
Although the party has not taken a final decision on the issue, the TDP is a key partner of BJP-led NDA government at the Centre and its support is crucial for passing the Bill in the Parliament.
Political analysts are of the view that the Waqf Amendment Bill is the first test for Naidu’s secular image since he joined the National Democratic Alliance government.
A delegation of Muslim leaders, led by the AIMPLB General Secretary Maulana Mohammed Fazlurrahim Mujaddidi, had met Naidu in Amaravati on October 23 and urged him to oppose Waqf Amendment Bill 2024 in the Parliament.
Accompanied by Minister for Minority Welfare N. Md Farooq and former Chairman of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council Mohammed Ahmed Shariff, the delegation presented a memorandum to Naidu.
The leaders had explained to the Chief Minister how the amendments proposed by the Narendra Modi government to the Waqf Act would be detrimental to Waqfs.
The TDP chief assured the delegation that the party would take an appropriate decision after a discussion with stakeholders over the issue.
As a follow-up to this meeting, the TDP sent its state Vice-President VS Ameer Babu to New Delhi to meet the leaders of AIMPLB and other organisations to discuss their objections to the Bill.
It has been claimed by party insiders that TDP is against the Bill, he said it was not in the interest of the community.
He mentioned that Naidu has already made it clear that a board running a religious institution should have members of only that community as its members.
Muslim groups have been opposing the Waqf Bill also on the ground that it proposes to appoint non-Muslims as members of the Central Waqf Council and state Waqf Boards.
Asserting that Naidu is a secular leader, he said the TDP chief would take into account the sentiments of the Muslim community while making a decision.
The TDP leader said that a public meeting would be held in Andhra Pradesh on December 15 against the Waqf Bill. This public meeting proposed to be organised by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind is also likely to be attended by Naidu.
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