‘We’ll throw Waqf Act in dustbin if…’: Tejashwi Yadav calls BJP ‘Bharat Jalao Party’ in fiery Bihar pitch

RJD leader slams Nitish, calls BJP the ‘Bharat Jalao Party’ in fiery Katihar rally

At a charged rally in Bihar’s Katihar district on Sunday, opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav declared that the INDIA bloc government would “throw the Waqf (Amendment) Act into the dustbin” if voted to power. The statement, delivered before a large Muslim-majority crowd, set off a fresh political storm ahead of the state polls.

Yadav said his father and RJD chief Lalu Prasad “never compromised with communal forces,” contrasting that legacy with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whom he accused of “aiding the RSS and BJP in dividing society.”

“The BJP should be called the Bharat Jalao Party,” Yadav said. “If the INDIA bloc forms the next government, the Waqf Act will be thrown into the dustbin.”

The Waqf (Amendment) Act, passed by Parliament in April 2025, has been projected by the BJP-led NDA as a move toward transparency and inclusion, especially for backward Muslims and women.

However, opposition parties, including the RJD and Congress, argue the law allows excessive government interference in Muslim religious properties.

The debate reignited after RJD MLC Mohammad Qari Sohaib said on Saturday that Yadav would “tear up all bills, including the Waqf bill,” if elected, prompting BJP leaders to question how a state government could scrap a central law.

Tejashwi Yadav also used the rally to sharpen his attack on Nitish Kumar, claiming that Bihar’s governance under the NDA has collapsed.

“The CM is not in his senses. Corruption is rampant in every department, and law and order has completely collapsed,” he alleged.

He accused Kumar of ignoring Bihar’s Muslim-dominated Seemanchal region, comprising Purnia, Araria, Kishanganj, and Katihar. and promised a dedicated Seemanchal Development Authority if the INDIA bloc comes to power.

“This region deserves roads, schools, and hospitals, not empty promises,” Yadav said.

The RJD leader also took credit for pushing the government to raise old-age pensions. “We promised to increase it, and the Nitish government copied our idea, raising it from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100. When we return, we’ll raise it to Rs 2,000 per month,” he said.

Yadav accused the NDA of “copy-paste governance” that lacks originality or intent to improve lives.