The controversy escalated in February 2023 when the Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board labelled the Ahmadiyya Muslim community as infidels, citing the fatwa of Jamait ul Ulema.
Following the clarification of Dainik Bhaskar that the 'journalist' in the viral video is not associated with the Hindi daily, Smriti Irani took potshots at the Congress party.
Smriti Irani said, "NAWADCO is the only Section 25 company in the country that has been given the mandate to take money, especially from the taxpayers, to help maintain, develop, and economically resuscitate private waqf properties."
An advocate, Aamir Javed, has filed a plea in the High Court claiming that it is the "constitutional right" of every Muslim employee of the Central and State government to be sent on deployment to Jeddah during the Haj pilgrimage