Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) on Saturday explained its decision to vote in favour of the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Parliament, claiming the BJP-ruled central government had incorporated all of its suggestions into the draft.
Several Muslim leaders and outfits have panned JD(U) for backing the law. Five Muslim leaders of the party have resigned in protest against its endorsement of the bill.
JD(U) leader Anjum Ara said that her party supported the Waqf (Amendment) Bill only after its suggestions were accepted by the ruling party.
“JDU had presented five suggestions, or one can call them conditions, all of which were accepted in the Waqf Amendment Bill,” she said at a press conference.
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The JD(U)’s five suggestions included not making the law retrospective.
“First- Land is a state matter, so this priority should be maintained in the laws as well… Second- This law should be effective in a prospective way, not in a retrospective way… Third- If any unregistered Waqf property has a religious institute established on it, then it will not be tampered with… Fourth- To resolve disputes related to Waqf properties, officers above the rank of District Magistrate should be authorised. Fifth- The time limit of 6 months given in the bill for registering Waqf Board properties on a digital portal should be extended… Only after these suggestions were accepted did we agree to the Waqf Amendment Bill,” Ara added.
JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad also reacted to the resignations on Saturday, stating that Bihar CM Nitish Kumar was dedicated to the welfare of minorities andhis support for the Waqf Amendment Bill would not negatively impact the interests of Muslims.
Also read: ‘Waqf Bill not anti-Muslim’, says NDA ally JD(U) leader in Parliament
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) had urged all secular political parties, including BJP allies and MPs, to oppose the bill.
On Saturday, the Muslim body, in a statement, declared that the Waqf amendments were a severe assault on Islamic values, religion and Shariah, religious and cultural freedom, communal harmony and the foundational structure of the Indian Constitution.
“The AIMPLB stated that the support extended by certain political parties to the BJP’s communal agenda has fully exposed their so-called secular facade. The AIMPLB emphasized that it will lead a nationwide movement against these amendments in coordination with all religious, community-based and social organizations, and the campaign will continue until the amendments are fully repealed,” it added.
With inputs from ANI