Teach those who backed Waqf legislation a lesson in polls: Owaisi

Hyderabad parliamentarian Asaduddin Owaisi brought Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan into his political crosshairs over the latter’s support of what is now the Waqf Amendment Act, 2025. He urged people of the State to teach them a “lesson” over their support for the controversial legislation.

Mr Owaisi, who is a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, an organisation that has been spearheading demonstrations and public meetings in several parts of the country against the legislation, and demanding its withdrawal, was speaking in Kurnool. It is here that he criticised parties that supported the Waqf Amendment Bill, and lauded former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for opposing it.

“Till the time you do not give them [those who supported the Bill] a political defeat, they will never understand. We thank Mr. Reddy and those who opposed the Bill,” Mr Owaisi said.

Mr. Owaisi launched a salvo against Mr. Naidu yet again, drew analogies with the applicability of the law of limitation on waqf properties and Mr Naidu’s business interests.

“We want to ask Mr. Naidu: You have a vegetable shop called Heritage. If somebody is in possession of it for 20 years, will it be mine or will it continue to be yours,” he asked.

He alleged that Mr. Naidu and Mr. Pawan Kalyan by supporting the Bill have supported Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in its efforts to take over masjids and dargahs.

“I appeal to you that whatever election it may be, local bodies, or any other, give Mr Naidu a befitting reply,” Mr Owaisi said even as he urged TDP’s Muslim leaders to leave the party and set an example by not compromising on the Constitution and the Islamic law, if the leaders are in no mood to listen to their concerns.