Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Sinha on Friday issued a strict warning to opponents of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, saying that if they failed to comply, legal action, including jail, would be taken against them. The controversial Bill has already been approved by both Houses of Parliament.
“Those who refuse to obey the Waqf Amendment Bill will be jailed. This is not Pakistan, this is Hindustan. This is the Narendra Modi government,” Sinha stated, making it clear that the government would not budge on the issue.
He added further, “The Bill has been legally passed in both Houses. Anyone who still refuses to accept it is going against the country. Such people should be arrested.”
Meanwhile, opposition to the BJP-led NDA also emerged, with JD(U) MLC Ghulam Gous once again criticizing the Bill. “Jo qatil hai wahi munsif hai, kisse nyay maange (When the killer is also the judge, where does one seek justice)?” Gous said, expressing concerns regarding the impartiality of the process.
Gous also challenged the BJP’s seriousness on the welfare of Muslims. “If the BJP is truly concerned about Muslims, why has it not taken action on the findings of the Justice Rangnath Mishra Commission or the Sachar Committee report?” he asked.
JD(U) leader and erstwhile MP Ghulam Rasool Baliyawi also spoke out against the Bill. As a related development, JD(U) district-level East Champaran leader Mohammad Qasim Ansari quit the party in protest. One JD(U) top leader, on condition of anonymity, disclosed the internal differences of opinion on party support for the Bill.
“We are not sure whether Nitish Kumar was properly briefed before the party supporting the legislation. We sensed that he had asked for some changes to objectionable provisions to be made, but that was not done,” said the leader.
