Modi government is hell-bent on consigning the Constitution to the dustbin after toying with it for a decade or more, says Samajwadi MP Mohibulla Nadvi
Team Clarion
PATNA – Just over a week after a massive demonstration in New Delhi on March 17, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and other Muslim groups held a huge protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill here on Wednesday.
Several Muslim MPs, and political and religious leaders including Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD)’s chief Lalu Yadav, leader of opposition in Bihar assembly Tejashwi Yadav, Samajwadi MP Mohibulla Nadvi, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) MP ET Basheer, and All India Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA Akhtarul Iman, joined the demonstration.
Addressing the protesters at Gardanibagh, Tejashwi said, “We are standing with all of you with full strength in the fight for Muslims. Lalu Prasad has come to support you even in his ill state”.
He accused the central government of trying to “break the country and end democracy”, calling it an “attack” on the very fabric of the Constitution. “Efforts are being made to end the Constitution. We are people who believe in the Constitution and the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb. At any cost, we will ensure this bill is not passed,” Tejashwi said.
Tejashwi shared that RJD legislators attempted to initiate a debate on the bill by bringing an adjournment motion in both the Bihar Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council. However, the uproar led to the adjournment of the House proceedings. “We are protesting everywhere against this ‘unconstitutional’ Waqf (Amendment) Bill – whether in Bihar Vidhan Sabha or the Legislative Council. Today, we demanded a discussion, but the House had to be adjourned,” he said. Tejashwi also emphasised that when the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) team visited Bihar, RJD leaders opposed the bill.
“When the JPC team came to Bihar, our party members strongly presented their views that this bill should not be passed. If any bill goes against the Constitution, everyone must stand against it,” he added. “It is unfortunate that some parties are supporting this bill just to remain in power. No amount of condemnation is enough for this,” he said in an indirect comment on Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas). Lalu’s public appearance, despite his health condition, reflects RJD’s strategy to consolidate its Muslim-Yadav (MY) voter base ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.
Addressing the gathering, Nadvi said the Narendra Modi government is hell-bent on consigning the Constitution to the dustbin after toying with it for a decade or more.
“This government has meted out discriminatory treatment to Muslims. The country has never witnessed such discrimination,” said the Samajwadi MP.
Pointing out the role of Bihar in creating a movement for social justice in the country, Nadvi called on the marginalised castes and Muslims to unite for the protection of their rights.
“This is a battle to protect the Constitution. It will be fought by Hindus and Muslims both in the streets. We are not going to back down in this regard. We cannot compromise on this issue. We have not sought reservation for our community. We have not demanded anything. But you are interfering in our religious matter,” said Nadvi.
AIMIM’s Akhtarul Iman, who is also state president of the party, said that the Waqf bill is a black law and an attack on the Constitution.
Iman said after the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and Triple Talaq Act, the government brought in the Waqf bill not only to take over the properties of Muslims but also to create civil disturbance in the country.
“We will have to die the way our ancestors have sacrificed themselves for the freedom of the country. But we will not allow civil disturbance in the country nor allow the bill to be passed,” he said.
The AIMIM MLA pointed out that if the Waqf bill becomes an act, it will create disturbance in the Muslim community. Graveyards will be bulldozed; mosques will be locked and dargahs will be destroyed.
“We can tolerate everything but we cannot keep away from our religion. I want to tell (Chief Minister) Nitish Kumar, (President of Hindustani Awam Morcha) Jitan Ram Manjhi and (Lok Janshakti Party chief) Chirag Paswan not to forget that you have got support from Muslims in securing power,” said Iman.
IUML lawmaker ET Basheer said this protest against the Waqf bill is a part of the campaign to protect the Constitution.
He asserted that if the bill is passed in the Parliament, all Waqf properties will be taken over by the government.
Addressing the gathering, a Buddhist religious leader said when the prime minister and other ministers go abroad, they say that they have come from the land of the Buddha and believe in unity, equality and fraternity. “But they harass all of us by creating division along religious and caste lines,” he said.
He urged the government to stop targeting religious places of Muslims and Buddhists.
