'Will Throw It Into Dustbin': Tejashwi's Waqf Act Remark Draws BJP Ire Amid Bihar Poll Heat

News18

02-07-2025

Last Updated:
BJP criticized Tejashwi Yadav for saying the Waqf Act will be scrapped if Mahagathbandhan wins in Bihar, accusing him of disrespecting Parliament and the Constitution.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hit out at former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav over his remark that the Waqf Act will be scrapped if the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) comes to power in the state, where the assembly elections are due later this year.
BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, in a press conference, alleged that Yadav's remark shows he does not respect Parliament nor the judiciary. He said that the INDIA bloc has not been able to come out of the Emergency mindset of throwing the Constitution into the dustbin.
'Recently, we marked 50 years since the Emergency. It's deeply unfortunate that just yesterday in Patna, Tejashwi Yadav stood in a public rally and said that Parliament's passed law will be thrown into the dustbin," he said.
RJD's Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday claimed that the ruling NDA in Bihar was 'on its way out", and the new government in the state led by the opposition alliance will 'consign to the dustbin" the Waqf Act brought by the Narendra Modi dispensation at the Centre. The leader was addressing a 'Save Waqf, Save Constitution' rally at the historical Gandhi Maidan in Bihar's capital, Patna.
Reacting to the RJD leader's remark, Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary said, 'Hooliganism means Lalu Ji's family, if it's about criminalisation, it's Lalu Ji's family, and if it's about tearing up a bill, it's Lalu Ji's family."
Bihar minister Mangal Pandey said that the RJD leader's statement is a direct challenge to the Parliament and the Constitution.
'In this democracy, who has the audacity to throw a proposal passed by the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha into the dustbin? This directly reflects a mentality that is filled with the thought of not accepting the Constitution of Baba Saheb Ambedkar. The people who crushed the Constitution by imposing the Emergency are the ones who can speak such language… Those who challenge the democratic system, the people of this country will never accept or tolerate them," he added.
Bihar Minister Prem Kumar accused the RJD scion of spreading misinformation. 'The amendment to the Waqf Bill introduced in Parliament is a good step. It will benefit a large section of the Muslim population, especially the poor, women, and widows. The control held by a handful of people will end, and the income from Waqf properties will be used for the welfare of common people," he said.
Congress Reacts To Sudhanshu Trivedi's Remark
On BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi's statement, Congress leader Pawan Khera said laws passed in the Parliament can definitely be overruled by it. 'If Sudhanshu doesn't understand this basic tenet of democracy, then what is he even doing in the Parliament? This mentality, language, can only come from those who do not have a basic understanding of this country. So I don't think we need to legitimise these very anti-national remarks by even commenting on them," he added.
Waqf Act
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was passed earlier this year by the Parliament and later got the President's assent. The government claims that the act introduces significant reforms aimed at enhancing the governance, transparency, and efficiency of waqf property management in India.
Key changes in the act include redefining the formation of waqf, improving the survey and registration process, empowering government oversight, and ensuring inclusivity by incorporating non-Muslim members and women into waqf-related bodies. These provisions mark a crucial step toward modernising Waqf property management in India, the government said.
(with inputs from agencies)
First Published:
June 30, 2025, 14:38 IST