Days after Muslim organisations boycotted the Iftar parties hosted by Bihar NDA leaders, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Union minister Chirag Paswan, over their support for the Waqf Bill, protests have begun in Patna against the legislation.
The political debate over the bill is intensifying ahead of the Bihar elections, due in the next six months. At a rally in Patna organised by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, senior RJD leaders Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav pledged their support for the cause.
VIDEO | Patna: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav at AIMPLB's protest against Waqf Amendment Bill says, "Our party Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), our leader Lalu Prasad Yadav, despite being ill... are here to support you. We don't care about being in power and we will strongly oppose this… pic.twitter.com/jPnYC3ONcs
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 26, 2025
The issue is particularly important in Bihar, where Muslims constitute close to 18 per cent of the population.
As the issue could lead to a polarisation within the community, BJP allies such as Nitish Kumar-led JDU, Paswan-led LJP, and Jitan Ram Manjhi-led HAM, who field Muslim candidates and often secure minority votes, could be the most affected. This, in turn, could impact the NDA alliance’s prospects in the state, helping in consolidating the minority votebank in the favour of the grand alliance led by the RJD.
VIDEO | Bihar: During the AIMPLB protest against Waqf Amendment Bill in Patna, several protesters were seen resting in a temple close to the dharna site.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 26, 2025
"India is a secular country where people of all religion live peacefully. India is like a garden where people of various… pic.twitter.com/iuuKY2VO7w
NDA leaders are also meeting in Delhi to strategise for the Bihar elections. The bill is likely to come up for discussion during the meeting.
As a countermeasure, the BJP has launched a Muslim outreach programme, with its minority cells distributing ration ahead of Chand Raat (Eid) along with a message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Titled Modi ki Saugat, the kits will be handed over to more than 32 lakh Muslim families across the country. The kits will contain clothes, savouries, dry fruits, and even Ittar. “This is a step towards social inclusion and poverty alleviation,” a BJP leader said.
While Bihar may emerge as the centre of the agitation due to the upcoming polls, Muslim organisations are planning protests in major cities across the country to pressure the government into halting the bill. The next protest is in Vijayawada on March 29.
The Waqf Bill was introduced in Parliament by the NDA government and subsequently sent to a joint parliamentary committee for detailed consultations. As the ruling NDA held a majority in the JPC, the bill was passed with 14 amendments. The committee's report was tabled in Parliament during the first part of the Budget session in February. It is now up to the Union government to introduce a fresh bill incorporating the JPC’s recommendations.
Opposition parties are up against the bill, describing it as discriminatory against the interests of the Muslim community.
The government, on the other hand, argues that the bill aims to rectify anomalies that have emerged in the upkeep of properties often claimed by the Waqf, including several monuments.
According to the official statement, the objective of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill is to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, to address the “issues and challenges” in regulating and managing Waqf properties. The bill also seeks to improve the administration and management of Waqf properties in India, thereby enhancing the efficiency of Waqf boards.
