RJD’s Siddiqui likens Waqf Bill to Emergency; demands its retraction
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Synopsis
RJD's Abdul Bari Siddiqui has criticized the NDA's Waqf Amendment Bill, paralleling it with the Emergency, and calls for its withdrawal. The JD(U) faces backlash from Muslim leaders, marking a significant political upheaval ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections.
Key Takeaways
- RJD's Siddiqui critiques NDA's Waqf Bill.
- Compares Waqf Bill to the Emergency period.
- JD(U) leaders resign over support for the Bill.
- Concerns about minority rights raised.
- Lalu Prasad Yadav's health improving.
Patna, April 4 (NationPress) RJD National General Secretary Abdul Bari Siddiqui has made a sharp critique of the NDA government regarding the Waqf Amendment Bill, insisting that just as the Emergency was ultimately rescinded, this Bill, too, will inevitably need to be withdrawn.
“When the Emergency was enforced in our nation, it was eventually annulled by the government of that time. In a similar vein, the existing government will have to retract the Waqf (Amendment) Bill as well,” Siddiqui remarked.
In discussions with IANS, Siddiqui also condemned the JD(U)’s backing of the Bill but avoided directly targeting Lalan Singh, the JD(U) figure who defended the amendment in Parliament.
Instead, he took a jab at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, stating: “The choice to endorse this Bill was made by a sick Nitish Kumar, not a healthy Nitish Kumar.”
Since the Bill's approval, the JD(U) has experienced a wave of resignations from several notable Muslim leaders, such as Mohammad Kasim Ansari – JD(U)’s 2020 Assembly candidate from Dhaka (East Champaran), Mohammad Shahnawaz Malik – senior JD(U) leader from Jamui, and Mohammad Tabrez Aleeg – state General Secretary of the JD(U)’s Minority Wing.
These leaders have described the JD(U)’s endorsement of the Bill as a “betrayal of secular principles and a blatant attack on minority rights.”
They have labeled the Bill a “mechanism to appropriate Waqf lands and an act of marginalization disguised as reform.”
Regarding the health of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, Siddiqui provided a hopeful update, stating: “His condition is improving, and he is anticipated to return home in the next 3 to 4 days.”
Lalu Prasad Yadav is presently hospitalized at AIIMS Delhi, receiving care under expert medical supervision.
With the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections on the horizon, the Waqf Bill has ignited a political upheaval in the state.
While the BJP and NDA partners uphold the Bill, opposition parties, particularly the RJD, are leveraging it to rally Muslim voters against the JD(U) and BJP.
