Historic Waqf Bill: TDP Got 3, YCP Has 0

The historic Waqf(amendment) bill is going to be presented in the Parliament tomorrow by the rolling NDA alliance. As expected, this bill is going to be strengthened by Telugu Desam party, which is one of the integral members of the NDA alliance. The party had already issued a whip to its MPs to attend the Parliament session tomorrow and vote in favour of the bill.

Coming to the topic, now, the joint action committee that was formed to bring the amendments in the Waqf bill has reportedly approved 3 out of the four suggestions made by TDP. 

Incidentally, three out of the four amendments proposed by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to the Waqf Amendment Bill have been approved!

India Today Report:

1. No Reconsideration of Waqf by User

• This means that cases involving properties already registered as ‘Waqf by User’ cannot be reopened.

• Even if there is no official Waqf deed, such properties will continue to be considered Waqf assets.

2. Collector Does Not Have Final Authority

3. Extension of Deadline for Digital Submission of Documents

• The deadline for submitting documents digitally has to be extended by six months.

While Telugu Desam is unconditionally approving this bill that is being presented by the NDA alliance, it must be noted that the party took the interests of the Muslim community into consideration and proposed adequate changes. These were subsequently approved by the JAC, which gives the credit to TDP for proposing crucial amendments.

On the other hand, YSR Congress, which has been openly opposing this bill did not put any effort into suggesting any amendment to the same. YCP anyway knows full well that the bill is going to be passed, regardless of their individual choices and the least they could have done is propose a few changes based on the interest of the local Muslim community. But the party did not show any interest on this, remarked an observer.