Well-planned conspiracy for polarisation: Tejashwi on waqf bill

Patna: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday said the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha, was a "well-planned conspiracy" by the BJP-led NDA government to polarise people.

Yadav said the MPs of his party will oppose the bill strongly in both Houses of Parliament.

"BJP brought an amendment in the Waqf Act as a part of a well-planned conspiracy, and JD((U), LJP are involved in this tool of polarisation. After receiving suggestions and discussing the matter with many Muslim organisations, including the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, scholars and Muslim leaders of our party, our national president Shri Lalu Prasad and I have asked our MPs of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to strongly oppose this anti-constitutional bill," he posted on X.

"Article 29 of the Constitution gives autonomy and freedom to every religion and we will continue to fight against every policy and intention that seeks to deny it. Our MPs in the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) will strongly put forth their views on every aspect point by point," he added.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was referred to a joint parliamentary panel after a heated debate in the Lok Sabha, with the government asserting the proposed law did not intend to interfere with the functioning of mosques, and the opposition calling it targeting of Muslims and an attack on the Constitution.

Bihar State Sunni Waqf Board chairman Janab Alhaj Mohammad Irshadullah told PTI, "I met CM Nitish Kumar over the bill and discussed its every aspect. The CM assured me that whatever is finalised, will be in the interest of the Waqf Board. Right now the bill has been sent to the JPC."