Why JD(U) sees 'zero impact' of Muslim anger over party's support to Waqf Bill

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. (File Photo: PTI)

The Janata Dal (United) led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may have brushed aside the unease within the party over its support to the Waqf Amendment Bill in Parliament, but it is difficult to predict if the issue is likely to have an impact on the party's prospects in the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.

The JD(U), which is part of the BJP-led central government, had extended its support to the Waqf Amendment Bill in both Houses of Parliament. The passage of the Bill, termed "anti-Muslim" by several Opposition parties and Muslim organisations, has led to the exit of at least five leaders over the party's stand on the matter.

While the JD(U) had earlier termed these leaders "insignificant" and termed their exit inconsequential, the remarks by some of its senior Muslim leaders such as former Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Rasool Baliyawi and party MLC Ghulam Gous questioning the party's stand reveal the disquiet within the party on the issue.

"The Waqf law has been misunderstood by some of our leaders. It is a progressive law. We are communicating with our leaders and helping them understand. Things will be fine in due course," JD(U) national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad told The Indian Express.

While the NDA managed to garner the support of its alliance partners in the state in Parliament, these parties, traditionally aligned with 'social justice', now find themselves treading unchartered waters.

Like the JD(U), the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) Led by Union Minister Chirag Paswan has also begun facing heat from some of its Muslim leaders over the party's stand. Paswan is also under pressure from his uncle and former union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras, the leader of the RLSP, the party's rival faction, saying the Waqf Bill has "hurt the sentiments" of the Muslim community.

Chirag held a press conference in Patna on Saturday and told the media in Patna that he acknowledges the anger of the Muslim community but clarified that the party went through every clause of the Waqf Bill and only then extended its support to the Centre. "The law is going to help poor Muslims," he emphasized.

Parties like the JD(U), LJP, RJD and others that originated from the social justice movement led by JP Narayan in Bihar have rarely gotten embroiled in issues of religious polarization, and thus find themselves treading into unfamiliar waters. Social justice parties have also enjoyed the support of minorities for the same reason.

However, parties like the JD(U) and LJP have also seen a consistent decline in their Muslim support base ever since they aligned with the BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"We hardly have any support left in the community. Yes, because of our secular politics, the Muslims don’t vote against us with aggression, but they don’t vote for us in significant numbers either. In 2014, when Nitish Kumar broke ties with the BJP on the issue of secularism, Muslims didn’t vote for us and we were reduced to just two seats. In the 2020 Assembly polls, the JD(U) gave 11 tickets to Muslims. All lost," a senior JD(U) functionary was quoted as saying.

The leader further pointed out that Muslims now strategically vote to defeat the NDA despite the Nitish Kumar administration ensuring no communal riots in the state in 20 years, giving pension to Bhagalpur riots victims and implementing schemes aimed at Muslims.

The RJD, on the other hand, has sensed an opportunity amid the unease within the NDA coalition partners on the Waqf issue and is hopeful that it will give the party a leg-up in an election that many predict could end up one-sided.

"The support of the JD(U) and the LJP to the Waqf Bill has ripped the mask of secularism off the faces of their leaders. It will have a serious impact on elections," RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari said.

The leader further accused the party of disrespecting constitutional values and said that people who value the Constitution only see RJD as a party that supports them.