In yet another indication to the possibility of it inclining towards the opposition INDIA bloc at the national level, the YSR Congress party on Thursday strongly opposed the amendment proposed to be made to the Wakf Act by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government in Parliament.
The YSRCP, which has been maintaining a sort of neutral political policy at the national level, made it categorical that it would not support the bill.
YSRCP parliamentary party leader Peddireddy Mithun Reddy said that his party was supporting the stand taken by the Opposition on this.
The bill is likely to include a provision calling for judicial scrutiny to determine whether a property is a Waqf asset and make mandatory provision of registration of properties with district collectors for their actual valuation.
Mithun Reddy said the bill was against the interests of the Muslim minorities and was aimed at usurping the Wakf lands. He said he would support AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi who raised a lot of apprehensions over the bill.
Interestingly, Telugu Desam Party spoke in a diplomatic tone. While extending support to the Wakf (Amendment) bill, it said it would not mind the Bill being sent to a parliamentary panel for consultation and removing misconceptions.
“I appreciate the concern with which the government has brought this Bill. The purpose of the donors (of the waqf land) needs to be protected. When the purpose and power get misused, it is the responsibility of the government to bring reforms and transparency in the system…” TDP member Harish Balayogi said.
He added: “If wider consultations are required to remove misconceptions and wrong information… and to educate (members) on the purpose of the Bill, we have no problem sending it to a select committee.”
