NEW DELHI: Bihar opposition leaders joined a protest organised by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill at Gardanibagh in Patna on Wednesday.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, Bihar opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav, and Jan Suraaj leader Prashant Kishor were seen taking part in the protest.
Addressing the gathering, Tejashwi Yadav said, “Our party Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), our leader Lalu Yadav, despite being ill.. are here to support you.”
He further assured that his party, along with Lalu Yadav, stands firmly with them in their fight against the “unconstitutional” Waqf bill.
“We don’t care about being in power and we will strongly oppose this unconstitutional bill. We opposed this bill in Parliament and Assembly too,” the RJD leader said.
“We want to tell you that we stand with you on this issue. Our effort is that this bill should not be passed at any cost,” he added.
Meanwhile, BJP MP and chairman of the JPC on the Waqf bill, Jagadambika Pal, accused AIMPLB of politicising the issue through its nationwide agitation.
“The way AIMPLB is doing politics in the name of Waqf, they are trying to mislead the minorities and Muslims of the country,” Pal said.
Right now, the law hasn’t even come, yet, based on planned politics, they are already heading to Patna,” he added.
The Waqf bill refers to properties dedicated exclusively for religious or charitable purposes under Islamic law. Waqf boards control 8.7 lakh properties spanning 9.4 lakh acres across India, with an estimated value of Rs 1.2 lakh crore.
There are 32 Waqf boards, including two Shia Waqf boards in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, as per TOI reports.