BJP, Allies push for Waqf Bill Even as Protests by Muslims, Opposition Continue
Notwithstanding the widespread protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act by the Opposition and some Muslim organisations, the BJP and its allies are going ahead advocating it, including in the poll-bound state of Bihar.
New Delhi: Notwithstanding the widespread protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act by the Opposition and some Muslim organisations, the BJP and its allies are going ahead advocating it, including in the poll-bound state of Bihar. The BJP gambit -- play up the benefits of the amended Waqf Act for the Pasmanda and poor Muslims.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his likely visit to Madhubani on April 24, is expected to lead the BJP's charge in the poll-bound Bihar. One of the main reasons behind the BJP-led NDA going ahead with its support for the amended legislation in Bihar is that of the nearly 17 per cent Muslim population in Bihar, over 70 per cent belong to the Pasmanda Muslims, a section which the NDA is aggressively wooing and has asserted will benefit from the Waqf Act.
Even the JD(U), it is learnt, is not very much worried, as it is also eyeing the Pasmanda vote-bank, especially after the newly amended legislation. In the last Assembly polls in 2020, the JD(U) had fielded more than a dozen Muslim candidates, but none won. The Nitish Kumar-led party got around 3.5 per cent Muslim votes and that too from seats with a sizable Pasmanda population.
Pasmandas are considered a marginalised section within the Muslim community.
The BJP is going ahead with its campaign to highlight the amended law across the nation and several Muslim organisations, including the Akhil Bharatiya Pasmanda Muslim Manch, have been roped in.
The saffron cadre have been asked to double down with their efforts in Bihar, especially reaching out to the Pasmanda Muslims in the poll-bound state. Feedback from the poll-bound state reaching the saffron poll managers, sources said, also suggests that the law will not have any negative impact.
Muslims are considered as Lalu Prasad Yadav-led RJD’s vote-bank. The BJP strategists are now awaiting the visit of Mr Modi, as the PM is expected to raise the pitch for the amended Act, which they feel will further help the ruling NDA. The PM is likely to address a public rally and also attend the Panchayati Raj Day event, where he is expected to interact with Panchayati Raj representatives from 10 districts. The PM is likely to meet NDA leaders also during his visit to the state.