YSRCP slams TDP for supporting Waqf Bill, calls it 'betrayal of minorities'

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], April 4 (ANI): YSR Congress Party leader and former Andhra Pradesh minister Merugu Nagarjuna on Friday slammed TDP president and Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for supporting the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which he called "unconstitutional".
The bill passed in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha now awaits President Droupadi Murmu's assent to become an act.
He accused the Andhra Chief Minister of using diversionary politics to deflect scrutiny, with TDP spreading "false claims" that YSRCP didn't issue a Rajya Sabha whip and backed the bill.
Displaying the whip, Nagarjuna said YSRCP's opposition, led by YV Subba Reddy was "clear" in Parliament.
He accused Naidu of betraying minorities after using them as a vote bank.
Affirming YSRCP's support for minorities, he said Naidu's attempts to tarnish YS Jagan Mohan Reddy would fail, saying that public backlash would teach Naidu a lesson.
Meanwhile, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen Chief Asaduddin Owaisi, and Congress Lok Sabha MP Mohammed Jawed have approached the Supreme Court against the Waqf Amendment Bill.
All India Muslim Personal Law Board, in a post on X, also vowed to hold protests nationwide against the Bill.
"The government's stance regarding the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 is regrettable. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board will soon undertake nationwide protests and legal action against the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025," the AIMPLB said.
Earlier, Congress MP and party General Secretary in charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh also announced that the party will soon challenge the "constitutionality" of the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Supreme Court.
In a post on the social media platform X, the Congress leader outlined the party's ongoing legal actions, stating that the party was already challenging several laws in the Supreme Court, including the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) of 2019, amendments to the Right to Information (RTI) Act of 2005, and amendments to the Conduct of Election Rules (2024). Additionally, the party is intervening in the court to uphold the Places of Worship Act, 1991.
"The INC's challenge of the CAA, 2019, is being heard in the Supreme Court. The INC's challenge of the 2019 amendments to the RTI Act, 2005, is being heard in the Supreme Court. The INC's challenge to the validity of the amendments to the Conduct of Election Rules (2024) is being heard in the Supreme Court. The INC's intervention to uphold the letter and spirit of the Places of Worship Act, 1991, is being heard in the Supreme Court. The INC will very soon be challenging the constitutionality of the Wakf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Supreme Court," Ramesh said. (ANI)