Addressing a public rally at Katihar, a Muslim-dominated constituency, Tejaswi Yadav on Sunday said that the Waqf (Amendment) Act would be “thrown into the dustbin” if the alliance wins the Bihar elections. The Bihar election is scheduled in two phases for November 6 and 11.
“Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has always supported such forces, and it is because of him that the RSS and its affiliates are spreading communal hatred in the state as well as in the country. The BJP should be called ‘Bharat Jalao Party.’ If the INDIA bloc comes to power in the state, we will throw the Waqf Act into the dustbin,” Yadav said.
“When we were in power under Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) did not dare to come to Bihar and create chaos between brothers. We never kneeled. Lalu Yadav always fought the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and we are doing so as well. If the BJP is scared of anyone, it is Lalu Yadav,” he said.
Addressing the rally, Yadav promised the developments and jobs for Bihar and said the era of corruption and bribery will come to an end, alleging that people of the state are tired of the 20-year-old Nitish Kumar government. Corruption is rampant in every department of the government. The law and order situation has completely collapsed in the state.”
Political Reaction on Yadav’s Remark
Reacting to Yadav’s remark on the Waqf Bill, Bihar BJP Co-in-Charge and MP Deepak Prakash said, as ANI reported, “… RJD and Congress have lost the elections even before the elections have begun. The people of Bihar are not going to come to their side… He (Tejasvi Yadav) is not going to form the government here in Bihar…”
JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said to IANS “…He should at least be given a copy of the Constitution to study. The Waqf Amendment Bill has been passed by Parliament and approved by the Supreme Court. Does the state government have the authority to question that?…”
RLD leader Malook Nagar said to ANI, “…Either he has not done a thorough study, or he does not know, or he is misleading the public. 99% of the bill was in favor of the poor, backward, common, and Dalit Muslims, and if there was even 1% scope, the Supreme Court intervened and gave directions in it…. If you are saying we will throw it (the Waqf bill) in the dustbin, then you do not understand the country’s federal structure… Should we believe that you do not believe in the constitution of the country?”
Muslims in Bihar Election
As reported by the Hindustan Times, Muslims hold a 16.9% share in Bihar’s election, but parties have reportedly fielded only 35 Muslim candidates; the RJS and Congress have together fielded 28 Muslim candidates. RJD, which is contesting 143 seats, has fielded 18, and Congress, which is contesting 61 seats, NJD(U) has fielded 4 Muslim candidates out of 101 seats it is contesting, as reported by the New Indian Express.
Waqf Act, 2025
The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, marks a sweeping reform of India’s system for managing waqf properties—charitable endowments established under Islamic law. The new legislation brings major structural changes, including mandatory representation of non-Muslims and women on Waqf Boards, tighter rules for declaring property as waqf, and stronger government oversight through digitization of records and measures against illegal encroachments.
Also read: https://foej.in/the-tokenism-of-protest/
The Act also abolishes the long-standing practice of “waqf by user” and stipulates that only Muslims who have been actively practicing their faith for at least five years can create a waqf. It places special emphasis on protecting women’s inheritance rights within the framework of religious endowments.
While supporters hail the reform as a move toward transparency, accountability, and inclusivity, critics contend that it undermines the Muslim community’s autonomy by expanding state control over religious properties and potentially eroding the right to self-governance in matters of faith.
