Chandrababu Naidu backs Waqf (Amendment) Bill, says Rijiju

"The Waqf Bill is aimed at ensuring transparent management of properties for the benefit of Muslims. There is no way anyone can snatch these properties," Rijiju stated.

When asked whether Naidu and Kumar were in favor of the bill, the minister confirmed their support, adding that several Muslim MPs have privately backed the legislation. "Thousands of Muslims, including women, have welcomed it," he added.

Addressing concerns over the reduction in budgetary allocation for Jammu and Kashmir in the 2025-26 fiscal, Rijiju clarified that the provisions were made based on the spending capacity of the Union Territory.

Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have made it clear that statehood to Jammu and Kashmir will be restored in due course of time.

However, Rijiju, who holds the parliamentary affairs and minority affairs portfolios, declined to give a timeline for the restoration of statehood to the Union Territory.

“The prime minister and the home minister made clear indications in the past that in due course of time, statehood will be restored (to Jammu and Kashmir) and the powers and functions will be demarcated very clearly,” Rijiju told reporters here.

The Lok Sabha MP from Arunachal West said he would not like to comment on the timeline for restoration of statehood or division of powers between the lieutenant governor and the elected chief minister at this time as his visit to Kashmir was confined to the Union Budget.

“Therefore, I would not like to venture into the political and governance side I can only say that Jammu and Kashmir is within the status of a Union Territory at this time. The lieutenant governor is the administrative head of the UT but we have also elected a government. We have a very successful government which was elected very recently,” he said.