Chandrababu Naidu will not let any bill that harms Muslims' interests be implemented: TDP leader

New Delhi: Amid opposition to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill from several Muslim bodies, senior leader of key NDA constituent TDP, Nawab Jan, on Sunday said Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will not let any bill that harms the interests of the Muslims be implemented.

Addressing the 'Samvidhan Bachao Sammelan' organised by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here, Jan urged everyone to come together to stop the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 from being passed in Parliament.

Chandrababu Naidu has always said he has two eyes -- one Hindu and one Muslim, Jan said. "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.

The benefits that Muslims got under Naidu's rule are unprecedented since the Independence of the country, Jan, a senior leader of the Telugu Desam Party, said. "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 claimed that sending the Waqf (Amendment) Bill to Parliament's Joint Committee (JPC) could only be made possible because of Naidu. Jan also claimed that Naidu a few days ago said that whether it is a Muslim institution or a Hindu institution or a Christian institution, it should have people of the same religion.

"We will tolerate everything, but will not tolerate any attempt to harm the unity of the country," Jan said. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not have a majority in the Lok Sabha and its government at the Centre is reliant on the support of other parties such as the TDP and the Janata Dal (U).

Muslims urge Naidu and Nitish Kumar to take a stand

Stepping up its campaign against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind on Sunday urged Chandrababu Naidu and JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar to heed the sentiments of the Muslims on the matter. The Jamiat said the parties within the NDA that claim to be secular must distance themselves from supporting this "dangerous" legislation.

A Joint Committee of Parliament is examining the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in August and referred to a Joint Parliamentary panel after a heated debate, with the government asserting the proposed law, did not intend to interfere with the functioning of mosques and the Opposition calling it a targeting of Muslims and an attack on the Constitution.

The committee's meetings have often seen tempers fly with opposition members accusing the Chair of inviting different organisations, including those working for Hindu causes, that have no stake in the waqf issues and the BJP members charging their political rivals with deliberately disturbing the proceedings.

Karnataka to organize protests on Waqf issue

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday hit out at the BJP, which is slated to hold a state-wide protest on Monday on the "Waqf issue", alleging that their motive is purely political, with no genuine interest in protecting the welfare of farmers.

He said, the BJP's true nature is to stoke communal strife for political gain, and this protest has no intention of safeguarding farmers' interests; instead, it threatens the harmony of Karnataka. "I call on the people of Karnataka to reject this divisive, destructive agenda and stand with us in building a Karnataka that unites, progresses, and prospers for all," Siddaramaiah said.