Nitish Kumar’s party has split over the Waqf Bill 2024. On the one hand the Muslim leaders of the party were opposing this bill, on the other hand the party supported it in the House. Union Minister Lalan Singh has supported this bill in Lok Sabha on behalf of JDU. Singh has said that the bill is correct and JDU supports it.
Amid Nitish Kumar’s silence, the uproar over the Waqf Bill in the JDU has raised questions about the party’s ethos and tradition in political circles.
Tears in JDU over Waqf Bill?
Janata Dal United has come forward with two ideas on this bill. Muslim leaders of JDU have opposed this bill. Recently Ghulam Ghaus, a member of the Legislative Council, has written a letter to the Prime Minister. Gauss has said that before bringing the bill, talk to the Muslim community.
Ghulam Ghaus has said in his letter that neither the British nor any government has given Wakf land as charity. This land has been given by the people of our community for the welfare of the poor, so the government should avoid interfering in these religious issues.
Another JDU Muslim leader and Ghulam Rasool Baliavi has opposed the bill. Baliavi has questioned the government whether the government will bring any bill regarding land of temples and monasteries like waqf?
Bihar government’s minority welfare minister recently said that there is nothing wrong with waqf. I will say something about this after the bill comes.
What did Lalan Singh say in Parliament?
Lalan Singh, a minister in the Modi government, presented the party’s stand on the Waqf Bill. He said that this is not an issue of temple and mosque. A waqf is an institution and is different from a temple-mosque. He said that reforms are necessary to bring transparency, so our party has decided to support Janata Dal United.
Lalan Singh further said that since the Wakf Bill is framed by law, it is being amended by law itself. Meanwhile, Singh also targeted the Congress and said that everyone knows who did the killing of thousands of Sikhs in this country. Congress has no right to speak on minorities.
Nitish Kumar silent on Wakf Bill
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has not reacted to the Wakf Bill brought by the Centre. Nitish is still silent on this issue. Poorna MP Pappu Yadav has also questioned Nitish’s silence.
Former party MP Ghulam Rasool Baliavi has also requested Nitish Kumar to break his silence. While party spokesperson Neeraj Kumar is singing a different tune. Talking to reporters, Neeraj said that Nitish Kumar has done a very good job on the Waqf issue. Center needs to learn from this.
What is in Waqf Bill 2024?
The Bill introduced by the Center proposes to amend the Wakf Act 9 and 14. The amendment will affect the structure and powers of waqfs. According to the proposed bill, now women and non-Muslims can also be made members of Waqf.
The government is saying that the purpose of bringing this bill is transparency. The opposition says that the government is introducing such a bill in the parliament to polarize religious groups.
While all NDA parties have supported this bill, all opposition parties have also opposed it. However, YSR Congress’s stand on the bill is in the headlines.
YSR which till now supports every bill of Modi government is opposing this bill.
