Waqf bill aims to destroy Waqf properties, not protect them: Owaisi

Hyderabad, Aug 25 (PTI) AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday attacked the BJP-led NDA government on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill alleging that the proposed law instead of protecting Waqf properties aims to destroy them.

Addressing a press conference here, the Hyderabad MP wanted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withdraw the proposed legislation.

"In this bill, instead of protecting Waqf Board and Waqf properties, it is a way of destroying them," Owaisi said, asserting that in this bill there is no provision of protecting Waqf, and accused the BJP of "lying".

In the name of protecting Waqf, Narendra Modi and his government are trying to destroy it, he alleged adding that their intention is to destroy it.

"A message has gone among the Muslims of the country that Narendra Modi wants to snatch Waqf properties from Muslims. We want the prime minister and the government to think over it and take back the proposed law," Owaisi said.

The AIMIM chief also questioned various clauses of the bill, including the move to empower district collectors in deciding on the ownership of a disputed property, and to have non-Muslim members on Waqf boards.

He said that the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has decided to meet all non-BJP chief ministers to discuss the issues regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

He said that they met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin last week, and on Saturday along with the AIMPLB president they met Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy, and briefed them about the dangers posed by the Waqf (Amendment) Bill brought by the BJP-led NDA government.

"Through this bill, the BJP seeks to end Waqf and Waqf properties and it will impact the freedom of religion of Muslims," he said.

The AIMPLB will also hold public meetings and will meet leaders of opposition parties, who have opposed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Owaisi said.

The AIMPLB will meet Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and JDU leaders and other BJP allies and explain to them about the bill, he said.

The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8 and referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament after a heated debate, with the government asserting that the proposed law did not intend to interfere with the functioning of mosques, and the opposition calling it a targeting of Muslims and an attack on the Constitution.

Reacting to a query on the demolition drive undertaken by the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), Owaisi said his party's corporators had met the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Mayor and informed that HYDRAA does "not have any legal backing" and that has been conveyed to the chief secretary and now the state government has to look into it.

In view of ongoing demolitions of structures constructed on encroached land on FTL, he asked if the government offices built on the Full Tank Level (FTL) areas will also be demolished. PTI