Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government will soon constitute a new State Waqf Board. This was announced on Sunday after dissolution of the Board constituted by the previous government triggered rumours and fake news.
A central leader of BJP and many right-wing sympathisers on social media had welcomed dissolution of Waqf Board and claimed it as a victory amid the ongoing false propaganda against Waqf in the wake of Waqf Amendment Bill 2024.
As some news channels called it a ‘surgical strike’ by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and it was widely shared by many including BJP central leader Amit Malviya, the coalition government came out with a clarification that the State Waqf Board was dissolved due to certain legal issues and announced that a new Board will be constituted at the earliest.
The Fact Check Wing of the state government posted the clarification on ‘X’ while reacting to a post by BJP national executive member Amit Malviya.
“Andhra Pradesh government strikes down the Waqf Board. There is no provision in the Constitution, which supports the existence of one in a secular India,” Malviya had posted on X while reacting to a news channel’s report.
BJP and Jana Sena are partners in TDP-led coalition government in the state. As the media reports and the comments of BJP leaders were sending wrong signals to Muslims, the government acted quickly to counter the misinformation.
FactCheck.Ap.Gov.In, the official account of Fact Check Wing, in its post explained the reasons for the Government Order (G.O) issued on Saturday (November 30).
“The Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board has remained non-functional since March 2023, leading to a period of administrative stagnation. The withdrawal of G.O. Ms. No. 47 became imperative due to several substantive concerns. These include 13 writ petitions challenging its validity, the absence of adequate representation from Sunni and Shia scholars, the non-inclusion of former MPs, the appointment of junior advocates without transparent criteria, questions surrounding the eligibility of certain members, and the inability to elect a chairman owing to ongoing litigation,” reads the clarification.
“The GoAP will take appropriate measures to address these defects and constitute a new Waqf Board at the earliest,” it added.
The Minorities Welfare Department on Saturday issued a fresh GO, withdrawing the GO issued in October last year, constituting the Waqf Board.
The then government of YSR Congress Party had constituted the 11-member Waqf Board. Three of them were elected members while the remaining were nominated.
The government headed by Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had issued on order on October 21, 2023, constituting the 11-member Board. An MLA and an MLC were among three elected members. The then government had also nominated eight members including two women.
On petitions challenging the process followed to constitute the Waqf Board, the Andhra Pradesh High Court on November 1, 2023 stayed the election of the chairperson of the State Waqf Board.
The GO number 75 issued on Saturday mentions that the Chief Executive Officer of State Waqf Board brought to the government’s attention the prolonged non-functioning of the Board and the pendency of writ petitions questioning the legality of G.O. Ms. No. 47 to resolve the litigations and prevent an administrative vacuum.
Minorities Welfare Department Secretary Kati Harshvardhan stated in the latest GO that after careful consideration of the observations made by the High Court and in the interest of maintaining good governance, protection of Waqf properties and ensuring the smooth functioning of the Waqf Board, the government hereby withdraws G.O. Ms. No. 47 dated 21.10.2023, with immediate effect.
Minister for Minority Welfare N. Md. Farooq said in a statement that the coalition government withdrew the GO issued by the previous government. He said after some individuals had approached the High Court, challenging the nomination of Waqf Board members, the High Court had passed interim orders to stay the election of the chairperson.
The minister stated that due to legal issues, there was a vacuum in the functioning of the Waqf Board and to overcome this, the coalition government issued a new GO, withdrawing the earlier one.
“The coalition government headed by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is committed to protection and management of Waqf properties and the welfare of minorities. The government is taking steps in this direction,” Farooq said.
In September, the TDP-led coalition government appointed TDP leader Shaik Abdul Aziz as chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board.
Abdul Aziz, a former mayor of Nellore, is currently the TDP president for the Nellore parliamentary constituency.
The dissolution of the Waqf Board constituted by the previous government may pave the way for constituting the new Board headed by Abdul Aziz.
