Amaravati, April 10, 2025 – Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu axed a controversial Waqf Board proposal to commercially develop its land on Wednesday, bowing to a storm of protests from Muslim groups and opposition heat. The rollback, announced after a tense cabinet meet, doused a plan that would’ve leased 1,200 acres across Vijayawada and Guntur for malls, offices, and housing—scrapping a revenue dream pitched just last month.
The row flared when the state Waqf Board, backed by Naidu’s TDP-BJP alliance, floated the idea to fund welfare via 99-year leases. “It’s our right to monetize,” a board official had argued, per Hindustan Times. But clerics and locals saw red—land tied to mosques and graveyards isn’t for sale, they fumed. Protests erupted in Kurnool Tuesday, with banners reading “Hands off Waqf!”—forcing Naidu to act fast. “No commercial use—full stop,” he told reporters, per The Indian Express.
The flip-flop’s a bruise for Naidu, who’s juggling coalition vibes post his June 2024 comeback. The BJP’s Waqf Act tweaks—adding non-Muslims to boards—already irk allies like TDP, and this misstep stung. YSRCP’s YS Jagan Mohan Reddy pounced, accusing Naidu of “saffron greed” on X, where users split hard—one wrote, “Good call, respect faith,” another, “Weak spine, caved too quick.”
Data frames the stakes: Andhra’s Waqf holds 50,000 acres, 60% encroached (Waqf Board, 2023). The plan aimed to reclaim value, but clerics feared a precedent—imagine malls over masjids. Naidu’s now promised consultations, but trust’s thin. “We’re not guinea pigs for BJP’s agenda,” a Vijayawada imam told The Hindu. With elections years off, this could still simmer.
