New Delhi, India

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Chairman BR Naidu on Monday (Nov 4) rejected the comparison of the Waqf Board with the governing body of Tirumala by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. 

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Naidu said that making a comparison between the two bodies is baseless since Waqf Board is a real estate company and Tirumala is a temple.

"This statement is baseless, the waqf board is a real estate company... How can he compare it with Tirumala? Tirumala is a Hindu temple. There have been demands for many years that non-Hindus should not be in Tirumala. It is not my personal (opinion)... Sanatana Dharma says only Hindus should be there. We are working on that and we will decide in the first board meeting," said the TTD chairman.

Also Read: Tirupati laddoo row: Supreme Court slams Andhra Pradesh govt, says, ‘Keep God out of politics’

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Last week, Owaisi said that if Muslims cannot become trustees of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), then even a non-Muslim cannot be on the Waqf board.

Here's what Owaisi said on the Waqf bill

On Saturday (Nov 2), Owaisi said that the proposed Waqf amendment bill of the government, which has made the inclusion of two non-Muslims on the panel, is not right.

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"Not even a single member of the 24 members of TTD Board (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams) is a non-Hindu...The new Chairman of TTD says that the people working there should be Hindu...We are not against this, we just have an objection to the fact that Narendra Modi's government is saying in the proposed bill of Waqf that in the central Waqf Council, it has been made mandatory that 2 non-Muslim members should be there...Why are you bringing this provision in the Waqf bill?," said Owaisi.

"TTD is a board of the Hindu religion and Waqf Board is for the Muslim religion. There should be parity...When the trustees of TTD cannot be Muslims, how will a non-Muslim member be on the Waqf Board?," he further stated.

Last week, BR Naidu said that he would speak to the government about transferring or giving voluntary retirement to the non-Hindu employees who are working with them.

Watch: Tirupati Laddu Row: New vendor appointed, promises of purity

"I will talk to the government about the people from other religions working in Tirumala on priority whether to shift them to other departments or give them VRS," said Naidu.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is aimed at introducing stricter audits, digitisation and transparency in the Waqf Board, which is responsible for managing properties related to Islam.

(With inputs from agencies)