Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Waqf Bill Support Sparks JD(U) Exodus: Muslim Leaders Resign
leaders of the JD(U) have resigned from the party over its support to the Waqf Amendment Bill. (File Photo: PTI)
There is a growing unease among JD(U)’s Muslim leaders over the party’s support to the Waqf Amendment Bill. So far, five of these top Muslim leaders have resigned and two senior leaders have registered their protest against the party’s decision.
Senior leader Mohammed Qasim Ansari, JD(U) Bihar’s Minority Cell Secretary Mohammad Shahnawaz Malik, JD(U) Minority Cell’s State General Secretary Mohammad Tabrez Siddiqui Alig, former State Secretary of JDU Youth Wing M Raju Nayyar, and Nadeem Akhtar have sent their resignation letters.
Senior leader Mohammed Qasim Ansari was first to resign from the party alleging that by supporting the bill, Nitish Kumar has given a big blow to the Muslim community.
In his resignation letter, Ansari stated that he cannot accept this Bill at any cost. Through this bill, Muslims have been humiliated and disgraced. He expressed regret for staying in the JD(U) for so many years.
Mohammad Shahnawaz Malik, JD(U) Bihar’s Minority Cell Secretary, announced his resignation through a letter addressed to party president Nitish Kumar on Friday, adding that he had lost all trust of Muslims who believed that the party was secular.
In the letter, Malik wrote, “Millions of Indian Muslims like us had firm belief that you are the flag bearer of purely secular ideology. But now this belief has been broken.”
JD(U) Minority Cell’s State General Secretary Mohammad Tabrez Siddiqui Alig was the third top leader to resign from the party.
In his resignation letter he wrote, “I believed that JDU would always stand for secularism, social justice, and the protection of minority rights. But supporting this bill has shaken my faith. This act is a betrayal of the trust of millions of supporters who repeatedly made you reach the post of Chief Minister.”
He added, “Its impact will be clearly visible in the upcoming Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 and soon many more leaders will resign from the party due to widespread discontent.”
M Raju Nayyar, former State Secretary of JDU Youth Wing, also resigned from the party. In a letter addressed to Nitish Kumar, he wrote, “I am hurt by the JDU decision to vote in favour of this black law and I resign from the party’s primary membership.”
JDU MLC Ghulam Gaus was first to register his protest against the bill.
The party’s National General Secretary Ghulam Rasool Baliyavi has also cornered the NDA government. He said that secular and communal elements have been exposed in the Parliament over the Waqf Amendment Bill.
He said that a meeting will be convened very soon to discuss the impact of the new law and to plan a strategy to counter it.
He said, “It is time for concrete action. Muslims should get ready to fight for their rights – not just on social media.”
Now that the Bill has been passed by the two houses of Parliament has reached peoples’ court where the verdict will come in October-November when assembly election results are announced. Whether JD (U) supremo and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s gamble pays off or not is going to be an issue with supporters of the Bill and those opposed to it will extend arguments to convince people.
