The Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government in Andhra Pradesh, which is part of the NDA coalition with Jana Sena Party and BJP, has dissolved the State Waqf Board nominated by the previous YSRCP government. Citing the prolonged non-function of the Board due to various reasons, the government has said it is dissolving it in the interest of maintaining good governance, protection of Waqf properties and ensuring the smooth functioning of the Waqf Board.
While a new Waqf Board is expected to be constituted soon, a few media reports have claimed that the NDA government has abolished the state’s Waqf Board, linking it to the ongoing controversy surrounding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Parliament. BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya and others have posted tweets hailing the move, wrongly suggesting that the Andhra Pradesh government has ‘struck down’ the Waqf Board.
Andhra Pradesh TDP Minority Cell state general secretary Mohammad Fathullah said that the dissolution of the state Waqf Board is unrelated to the Bill. “The Waqf Board was dissolved solely due to ongoing litigations. It is only a routine move that has happened with the change in government. It has nothing to do with the proposed Waqf Bill. Once the legal hurdles are resolved, a fresh Board will be constituted with new members,” Fathullah told TNM.
The Andhra Pradesh government's Fact Check Wing too refuted Amit Malviya's claims.
Read: CM Chandrababu under pressure from TDP's Muslim leaders to oppose Waqf Bill
The Minorities Welfare Department on Saturday, November 30, issued a Government Order (GO) withdrawing the previous GO issued in October last year, constituting the Waqf Board.
The then government of YSR Congress Party had constituted the 11-member Waqf Board following a High Court order. Three of them were elected members while the remaining were nominated.
On a petition challenging the process followed to constitute the Waqf Board, the Andhra Pradesh High Court on November 1, 2023, stayed the election of the chairperson of the State Waqf Board.
The GO number 75 issued on November 30 mentions that the Chief Executive Officer of the State Waqf Board brought to the government’s attention the prolonged non-functioning of the Board and the pendency of writ petitions questioning the legality of GO Ms No 47 to resolve the litigations and prevent an administrative vacuum.
Minorities Welfare Department Secretary Kati Harshvardhan stated in the latest GO that after careful consideration of the observations made by the High Court and in the interest of maintaining good governance, protection of Waqf properties and ensuring the smooth functioning of the Waqf Board, the government hereby withdraws GO Ms No 47 dated October 21, 2023, with immediate effect.
Meanwhile, Minister for Minority Welfare N Md Farooq said in a statement that the coalition government withdrew the GO issued by the previous government. He said after some individuals had approached the High Court, challenging the nomination of Waqf Board members, the High Court had passed interim orders to stay the election of the chairperson.
The minister stated that due to legal issues, there was a vacuum in the functioning of the Waqf Board and to overcome it, the coalition government issued a new GO, withdrawing the earlier GO.
“The coalition government headed by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is committed to the protection and management of Waqf properties and the welfare of minorities. The government is taking steps in this direction,” Farooq said.
In September, the coalition government appointed TDP leader Shaik Abdul Aziz as chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board. Abdul Aziz, a former Mayor of Nellore, is currently the TDP president for the Nellore parliamentary constituency.
The dissolution of the Waqf Board constituted by the previous government may clear the decks for constituting the new Board headed by Abdul Aziz.
Responding to the dissolution of the existing Waqf Board, YSRCP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Amzath Basha said that the members were appointed in line with guidelines, and criticised the TDP for moving the court when the Chairman was about to be elected.
"The matter is still pending in the court. How can the Board be dissolved?" he asked, alleging that the NDA coalition government in Andhra Pradesh has withdrawn the GO only to forcibly take away Wakf lands.
"Unlike Chandrababu, we did not dissolve the previous Board in 2023. The members left on their own. But this coalition has done it with vengeance," he said, adding that the YSRCP would take legal recourse.
With IANS inputs