Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind slams Nitish Naidu Chirag for siding with govt on Waqf bill

New Delhi, Mar 21 (PTI) Prominent Muslim organisation Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind on Friday said it would boycott all programmes of NDA constituents -- Nitish Kumar's JD(U), Chandrababu Naidu's TDP and the Chirag Paswan-led LJP (Ramvilas) -- alleging that they were engaging in politics against Muslims.
    Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani said those calling themselves secular and part of the current National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government were silent on the "oppression and injustice" being meted out to Muslims.
    Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind will not only avoid such people as a symbolic protest but also not participate in programmes such as 'iftar', Eid Milan and other events organised by them, he said.
    Madani emphasised that the current situation in the country, and the cruel and unjust treatment being faced by minorities, especially Muslims, was no longer hidden from anyone.
    "But it is truly a matter of great regret that those who call themselves secular and claim to be well-wishers of Muslims -- whose political success has also been influenced by the support of Muslims -- are now engaging in politics which is not only against Muslims but also against all justice-loving people of the country," he said.
    Madani said leaders such as Kumar, Naidu and Paswan, in their pursuit of power, were not only siding with communal forces against Muslims but also supporting the destruction of the country's Constitution and laws, "pushing the nation toward ruin".
    "What is the compulsion here? Do they not see the impending destruction of the country? And do they, like the communal forces, no longer see any importance in the Constitution and secularism?" he asked.
    "Their deplorable attitude towards the Waqf (Amendment) Bill has exposed their so-called secular face. They have no regard for the country's Constitution or secularism; their political interests are their priority," he said.
    "They have no sympathy for Muslims; they seek their votes, which help them attain power, and, once in power, they push Muslims out of their priorities. Therefore, the time has come for us to express our displeasure by not participating in their programmes as a symbolic protest," Madani said.
    He also appealed to other religious organisations, institutions and individuals to refrain from participating in their programmes, even if it was just an 'iftar' party.
    His remarks came after the Parliament's joint committee submitted its report on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. The proposed legislation could be brought for passage in Parliament during the ongoing Budget Session.
    The 31-member panel on the Bill, after multiple sittings and hearings, suggested several amendments to the proposed legislation even as the opposition members disagreed with the report and submitted dissent notes.
    The 655-page report was submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on January 30.
    The joint committee adopted the report that contained changes suggested by members from the ruling BJP by a 15-11 majority vote. The move prompted the opposition to dub the exercise an attempt to destroy Waqf boards.
    The Bill was referred to the joint committee on August 8 last year, following its introduction in the Lok Sabha by Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)