Asaduddin Owaisi slams Chandrababu Naidu over Waqf Bill, questions Tirupati policy

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has criticised Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and his Telugu Desam Party (TDP) for their stance on religious governance, questioning their support for the BJP-led Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

The new bill mandates the inclusion of non-Muslims in the Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards, a move that Owaisi sees as discriminatory.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Owaisi pointed out an apparent contradiction in TDP's approach. While the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) enforces a strict Hindu-only employment policy, the Waqf Bill mandates at least two non-Muslims in Muslim religious bodies. He noted that the Andhra Pradesh Hindu Endowments Act prohibits non-Hindus from holding key positions such as Commissioner, Trustee, or Executive Officer in Hindu institutions.

“If only Hindus can govern Hindu Endowments and be employees in them, why is this standard not applied to Muslim Waqfs?” Owaisi asked.

Expressing concern over the bill, he warned that the new amendments allow the government to appoint a majority of non-Muslim members to Waqf Boards, shifting control away from the Muslim community.

The debate intensified after TTD, which manages the revered Sri Venkateswara temple, initiated action against 18 employees accused of practicing non-Hindu religions while working in the institution. Citing a violation of their oath to follow Hindu traditions, TTD issued a memo on February 1 announcing disciplinary measures. The affected employees have been barred from participating in temple-related activities, with some facing potential transfers or voluntary retirement.

Responding to the backlash, Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh defended TTD’s decision, reaffirming that it aligns with the TDP-led NDA government’s official stance.

"We made our position clear before the elections, and we stand by it," Lokesh stated.

He justified the policy by comparing it to rules in mosques, where non-Muslims are generally restricted from serving in religious capacities. Additionally, he asserted that the government is prepared to fight any legal challenge to TTD’s employment policy.

The TDP also accused the previous YSR Congress government of appointing non-Hindus to TTD, claiming that such actions had hurt Hindu sentiments.