Purandeswari slams Cong and YSRCP over Waqf Bill

Vijayawada: BJP AP president Daggubati Purandeswari strongly criticised Congress leader Sonia Gandhi for her comments on the Waqf Amendment Bill, accusing the Congress of spreading misinformation and engaging in vote-bank politics.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP state office, Purandeswari rejected allegations that the Bill was passed without adequate discussion. She questioned whether key Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were even present during the debate, adding that the Bill was passed after consultations with leaders from multiple parties and was approved in Lok Sabha and in the Rajya Sabha. She called out the YSRCP for its contradictory stance, supporting the Bill in the Lok Sabha and adopting a different approach in the Rajya Sabha, labelling it ‘a clear case of political double standards.'

Purandeswari emphasised that the BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi achieved what once seemed impossible. She cited major milestones such as the abrogation of Article 370, the construction of the Ram Mandir, the Citizenship Amendment Act, and the abolition of triple talaq, as examples of BJP's commitment to national interest and minority empowerment.

She dismissed fears that the Waqf Bill interferes with religious practices, stating that the amendments aim to improve transparency, ensure the proper use of Waqf properties, and enhance the functioning of Waqf Boards.

The Bill, she noted, was shaped after month-long consultations, with inputs from 25 states and various Waqf Boards.