Senior leader of the TDP, a major NDA constituent, Nawab Jan, stated on Sunday that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will not permit the implementation of any bill that jeopardises the interests of Muslims in the face of opposition to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill from a number of Muslim organisations. Speaking at Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind’s “Samvidhan Bachao Sammelan” at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here, Jan called on everyone to unite in order to prevent the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 from passing into law.
According to Jan, Chandrababu Naidu has always claimed to have two eyes: one Muslim and one Hindu. “He (Naidu) says any harm done to one eye affects the whole body and we must keep this in mind as we move forward on the path of development,” Jan said.
Jan, a senior Telugu Desam Party politician, claimed that the advantages Muslims received under Naidu’s leadership were unheard of since the nation’s independence. “Chandrababu is a person of a secular mindset — such a person is our chief minister, (he) will not let a bill that harms Muslims be implemented,” he said.
The TDP leader asserted that Naidu was the sole reason it was feasible to forward the Waqf (Amendment) Bill to the Joint Committee (JPC) of Parliament.
Jan also asserted that Naidu stated a few days ago that an institution should have members of the same religion, regardless of whether it is Muslim, Hindu, or Christian. “We will tolerate everything, but will not tolerate any attempt to harm the unity of the country,” Jan said.
Because it lacks a majority in the Lok Sabha, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) depends on the backing of other parties, including the TDP and the Janata Dal (U), to run its administration at the federal level.
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind intensified its opposition to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill on Sunday, urging Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar of the JD(U) to take into consideration the opinions of Muslims on the subject.
The Jamiat stated that the NDA parties that identify as secular ought to disassociate themselves from endorsing this “dangerous” law.
A Joint Committee of Parliament is examining the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
After a contentious debate in which the government claimed the proposed law did not aim to interfere with mosque operations and the opposition accused it of attacking the Constitution and targeting Muslims, the bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in August and referred to a Joint Parliamentary panel.
The committee’s meetings have frequently been contentious, with BJP members accusing their political rivals of purposefully disrupting the proceedings and opposition members accusing the chair of inviting organisations that have no interest in the waqf issues, such as those advocating for Hindu causes.
