Tejashwi: INDIA bloc will end Waqf law if voted to power in Bihar
RJD leader and Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday pledged to scrap the Waqf (Amendment) Act if his alliance forms the next government in Bihar.
Campaigning across Seemanchal, Yadav addressed rallies in Pranpur, Kocha Dhaman, Jokihat, and Narpatganj. He said the election is not just about power but about saving the Constitution and India’s plural identity. “If our government is formed, we will throw that Bill into the dustbin,” he declared, calling the Waqf amendment an attack on equality.
“This country belongs to everyone,” Yadav told the crowd in Kishanganj. “Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians — all sacrificed for the nation. The Constitution gives equal rights to all.”
The Waqf (Amendment) Act, passed by Parliament in April, triggered controversy over new powers for district collectors and limits on non-Muslim members in Waqf boards. In September, the Supreme Court stayed key provisions that allowed broad control over Waqf properties and mandated five years of practising Islam to create a Waqf.
Linking the law to a wider political issue, Yadav accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of helping the BJP expand its reach in Bihar. “Our party never compromised with communal forces,” he said. “Lalu ji stood firm against them. But Nitish Kumar changed course and joined hands with the BJP. He gave the RSS space in Bihar.”
Yadav contrasted his party’s record with the current government’s approach. “When we were in power, the RSS didn’t dare to create riots here,” he said. “We never bowed down.”
He shifted focus to local issues, accusing the Nitish government of neglecting Seemanchal — a region he described as “the poorest in the country.” He said corruption had crippled public services. “Without paying a bribe, nothing moves in police stations or block offices. People are ruined by corruption,” he alleged.
Listing promises for development, Yadav announced plans to create a Seemanchal Development Authority. He said the body would oversee regional projects in education, healthcare, roads, and flood control.
He also claimed the BJP was using central agencies to intimidate opposition leaders. “Amit Shah threatened me in Patna,” Yadav alleged. “He said he would teach me a lesson before the next election. But when Lalu ji didn’t bow before their masters, will his son surrender?” he asked, recalling L K Advani’s arrest during his father’s tenure.
Yadav defended his record as Deputy Chief Minister. “In 17 months, we created five lakh jobs by regularising four lakh teachers,” he said. He promised to continue his “one job per household” plan if elected.
He accused the current administration of copying his welfare schemes. “They raised pensions and offered free electricity after we did,” he said. “For 20 years, they gave nothing. Now they offer Rs 10,000 to buy votes. You decide — a job for your family or a one-time bribe.”
As Bihar heads toward elections, Yadav framed the vote as a choice between “communal politics and inclusive progress.”
