Story by Raksha Bhattacharjee
Waqf bill: A spokesman for the TDP previously stated that the party supports the Waqf bill and that Chandrababu Naidu is pro-Muslim.
Everyone is watching the crucial debate around the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and whether or not the law will be approved by the Parliament. The Telugu Desam Party and Janata Dal (United), two NDA allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party, have a mandate in the House.
But the TDP, led by Chandrababu Naidu, is anticipated to request one significant modification to the Waqf Bill. According to The Indian Express, which cited sources, the party will bring up the law that would permit non-Muslims to serve on state Waqf boards.
Non-Muslim representation on the board be left up to the individual states
According to a TDP source, the party will unanimously insist that the state’s decision about non-Muslim representation on the board be left up to the individual states. Other than that, the Telugu Desam Party will support all other bill revisions, calling the inclusion of women on Waqf boards a “progressive change.” To guarantee that all of its Lok Sabha MPs will be present in the House for the Waqf bill discussion on Wednesday, April 2, the party sent out a three-line whip to all of them on Tuesday.
In a three-line whip, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has instructed all of its members of parliament to attend the Lok Sabha on April 2, 2025. This decision is in response to the Waqf Bill’s planned presentation, which is anticipated to draw a lot of attention from the House. The press release stated that the party is still dedicated to making sure that its position on this significant piece of legislation is adequately explained.
Won’t make “any significant changes” to the law
According to reports, TDP leaders, including party leader and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, participated in the bill’s talks till nearly midnight on Tuesday. They sat down with legal experts to comprehend the bill’s clauses, consequences, and other details. CM Naidu has also communicated with Muslim organizations to learn what is and is not acceptable to them, according to an article in The Indian Express.
Chandrababu Naidu is in favor of Muslims
Chandrababu Naidu is in favor of Muslims, according to TDP national spokesperson Prem Kumar Jain, who confirmed the party’s support for the Waqf law on Tuesday. The Waqf Amendment Bill is awaited by the whole Muslim community. Our party will back it. As Chandrababu Naidu has stated, we shall act in the Muslim community’s best interests.
At a March Iftar celebration, the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh reiterated that his party would act in the Muslim community’s best interests, stating that his state government was dedicated to safeguarding the Waqf properties. Muslim population under TDP control. And Muslims will benefit more from the NDA’s rule,” Naidu allegedly stated at the time.
Muslims living under TDP control
In March, the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh reaffirmed during an Iftar celebration that his party will do everything in the best interests of the Muslim community, stating that his administration was dedicated to safeguarding the Waqf properties. Muslims living under TDP control. Naidu allegedly stated at the time that Muslims would benefit more from the NDA’s presence in office.
The permanent donation of movable or immovable property for the objectives enshrined in Islam as pious, religious, or benevolent is known as waqf, according to the Waqf Act of 1995. According to the bill, in order for non-Muslim members to be included on the boards, the Act mandates that all Council members be Muslims, with at least two of them being women. “The bill instead provides that…MPs, former judges, and eminent persons appointed to the Council as per the Act need not be Muslims,” the amendment states. Additionally, the measure removes the provision allowing the Waqf board to investigate and decide whether a property is waqf, stating that any government property designated as waqf will no longer be so.
