Withdraw support for Waqf Bill, don't jeopardise your son's political future: Owasi tells Naidu

Addressing a meeting at Adoni in Kurnool District on Sunday night, Owaisi also sharply attacked the Waqf (Amendment) Act, alleging that it would infringe upon the rights of Muslims.

Hyderabad: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi urged Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to withdraw support for the Waqf Amendment Bill and challenged him to explain its benefits to the public. Addressing a large gathering in Kurnool on Sunday night, Owaisi cautioned Naidu against "jeopardising" his son Nara Lokesh's political future by supporting such legislation.

Owaisi indirectly suggested that Naidu has been "undermining" India's Constitution by backing the new Waqf law in exchange for central government support for Amaravati's development.

"I challenge Chandrababu Naidu to explain the benefits of the Waqf law. Why are you undermining India's secularism?" Owaisi said. "We all want Amaravati's progress as the capital, and as a former Andhra Pradesh MLA, I support it. But how can we compromise the Constitution for Amaravati? Supporting this law weakens the Constitution," he added.

He warned that TDP's withdrawal of support could significantly weaken the bill's prospects. "If TDP withdraws support, the law will lose strength. By backing it, you are not only risking your party but also putting your son, Nara Lokesh, in trouble. Isn't he your heir? You are ruining Lokesh's future," Owaisi said, adding that Naidu had already served as Chief Minister for sufficient time and should now focus on securing his son's political prospects.

With 16 Lok Sabha members, Naidu's TDP serves as a crucial ally in the NDA at the Centre. Opposition parties have been pressuring both Naidu and Bihar's Nitish Kumar, another ally, not to support the Waqf Amendment Bill, recently introduced by the NDA.

The TDP has also faced pressure from Muslim communities, with some sections calling for boycotts of Iftar parties organised by the TDP-led NDA government in Andhra Pradesh. Muslim organisations staged protests in Vijayawada on March 29 against the Waqf Amendment Bill.

Despite the pressure, TDP supported the Waqf Amendment Bill when it was tabled in the Lok Sabha on April 2, while seeking modifications. TDP MP from Bapatla, Tenneti Krishna Prasad, who participated in the debate, urged the central government to provide flexibility to state governments in determining Waqf board compositions.

"This step would ensure TDP's dedication to inclusive growth and community welfare. I hope the government will accommodate TDP's concerns while framing rules for the Waqf Act," Krishna Prasad said.

He stressed that TDP has consistently advocated for Muslim minority upliftment and welfare, noting that the party was the first to call for establishing a Joint Parliamentary Committee on the issue. He praised the committee's "extensive and transparent" functioning, describing its engagement as one of the most inclusive in parliamentary history.