Hyderabad: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held a workshop at its party office in Hyderabad to raise awareness about the Waqf Amendment Act. The session was led by Union Minister for Coal and Mines, G Kishan Reddy. The goal was to educate party members and the public about the rules and laws concerning Waqf properties.
As part of this effort, the BJP will form a three-member committee in each district. Starting from April 20, the party will launch a 15-day public awareness campaign called ‘Janajagrana Abhiyan’. The campaign is meant to inform people about Waqf-related issues and expose what the BJP claims are irregularities in its management.
During the workshop, Kishan Reddy made strong allegations against the Owaisi brothers, accusing them of misusing the Waqf Board to benefit their close supporters. He claimed that the Board has allowed illegal occupation of land, even though the law gives administrative power over Waqf lands to the district collector.
Reddy denied claims that the government is wrongfully taking over land, calling such accusations false and misleading. He also mentioned that some women were involved in the misuse of Waqf resources, suggesting a wider group of people benefiting from the system.
To make the process more transparent, Reddy announced that all Waqf land records will be digitized and stored electronically. He criticized the current practice of keeping important documents in the houses of political leaders. He also challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi to take part in an open debate about who has gained from the Waqf Board’s activities.
Reddy went on to claim that 70 percent of Waqf lands in Hyderabad have been illegally occupied by Congress leaders and members of a particular religious group. He emphasized that people should not confuse mosques with Waqf Board lands, as they are not the same.
This new campaign by the BJP highlights the party’s focus on Waqf issues ahead of the upcoming elections. The party says it wants to bring attention to what it considers years of poor management and land encroachments under earlier governments.
