Amaravati, Aug 23: YSR Congress Party President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has said that his party is opposed to Waqf Amendment Bill and will make its stand clear in Joint Parliamentary Committee which is analysing the Bill.
During a meeting with Muslim leaders, the former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh pledged his continued support for the community’s welfare and vowed to oppose the Waqf Bill, which has raised concerns among the community.
Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the YSRCP has always focused on addressing the issues of Muslim minorities. He claimed that the party has consistently worked for their welfare and development and assured the leaders that it continues to support them.
The YSRCP leader assured that the concerns raised about the Waqf Bill would be strongly represented by the party’s MPs in Parliament. He also mentioned that MP Vijayasai Reddy, a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, would take the lead in presenting their objections in Parliament.
Representatives of Muslim organizations expressed their concerns, stating that over 70% of Waqf lands are currently encroached upon. They stated that the new provisions in the proposed Waqf Bill aim to prevent these lands from being reclaimed.
The Muslim leaders mentioned that the new Waqf Bill was designed in a way that could weaken the entire system. They appreciated the YSR Congress Party’s opposition to the Bill and noted that it was only due to the party’s stance that the Bill was referred to the JPC by the Central Government.
Former MLA from Kurnool, Hafeez Khan highlighted the steps taken by the YS Jagan-led government for the protection of Waqf lands. He claimed that making the Waqf Board stronger and putting all the land details online by the previous government was a big development.
