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Nitish Kumar’s JDU was among the NDA allies who backed the BJP over the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Parliament. So far, four JDU leaders have resigned from the party over the party’s move.
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar (File Photo: ANI)
A spate of resignations has struck the JDU, a key BJP ally, since the passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Parliament – with two new party leaders relinquishing their membership.
JDU leaders Tabrez Siddiqui Alig and Dilshan Rayeen are the latest to leave party chief Nitish Kumar, who backed the BJP in the Parliament on the Waqf Bill.
Earlier, senior leaders Mohammed Qasim Ansari and Mohammed Nawaz Malik were the first to resign from the party and its posts over the party’s stance on the legislation, which was termed “anti-constitutional and anti-Muslim” by the Opposition.
However, the JDU has refuted the reports of resignations from the party and said that the Waqf Bill is a “ray of hope” for poor Muslims.
What Did JDU Leader Say In his Resignation Letter?
Announcing his resignation on X, Siddiqui posted a letter to the party chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, “Resignation from the position of State General Secretary and primary membership of the Janata Dal (United) party over the Waqf Amendment Bill.”
Stating that the JDU has always stood for “secularism and protection of minority rights”, the support to the Waqf Bill has “deeply shaken that belief”.
“The statements made in the Lok Sabha by Lalan Singh in support of this bill are extremely disappointing and disheartening. This bill strikes at the constitutional rights of Indian Muslims and appears to be an attempt to push the entire Muslim community to the margins,” he said.
He said that he never imagined that the JDU would support this Bill.
He further claimed that the latest move will have a significant impact on the upcoming Bihar Assembly Elections this year.
“Its impact will be clearly visible in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections in 2025, and soon, widespread resentment within JD(U) will trigger an exodus,” he said.
Congress Reacts To Resignations
Congress leader Udit Raj attacked Nitish Kumar over his support for the Waqf Bill and called upon Muslim leaders in JDU to resign from the party.
“Nitish ji has betrayed Muslims and his Muslim leaders. All Muslim leaders of JDU should resign from the party. If any Muslim leader is with JDU, then he is betraying his community,” he said.
Independent Lok Sabha MP Pappu Yadav claimed that the BJP would not need Nitish Kumar the day voting takes place in Bihar.
“Nitish Kumar ji’s mental state is not very good in the present time. In his party, 90% of leaders are against SC/ST but aligned to BJP…The day voting takes place in Bihar, on that day after 5 pm, the BJP will not need Nitish Kumar..JD(U) is not in the hands of Nitish ji now,” he said.
