By Poonam Sharma
Since the (Waqf Amendment) Bill was passed in both houses of Parliament, the issue has been increasing day by day. This morning, new visuals have arrived from different regions of Bihar, where Nitish Kumar is being protested against. In fact, some of the JD(U) leaders have quit the party, complaining against Nitish Kumar’s stand. This has resulted in public protest movements, with Nitish Kumar’s effigies being burned. Meanwhile, there have been reports of rebellion from the RLD as well. The Congress party has already gone to the Supreme Court in this regard. In the midst of all this furore and opposition, a major statement has been made by Sanjay Raut. He stated point-blank that no worker or leader of his party will go to the Supreme Court over the Waqf Board bill — for them, the matter is sealed. Raut’s statement has been regarded as a major breakthrough. Meanwhile, several parties are still conducting internal deliberations and discussions on the political repercussions of this bill.
As resignations by leaders start and protests in Bihar are initiated, it’s evident that there is much discontent. But according to some observers, it won’t only be expensive for Nitish — it’s a form of punishment. For years, after all, he has practiced Muslim appeasement politics, and some believe that finally, he is reaping the harvest , as long as you stand by a specific community, they stand by you. But the moment you take even a step that seems to be contrary to their interests, all your past work is washed down the drain. That’s precisely what we are seeing today.
Nitish Kumar has always followed a politics of appeasement of Muslims — in Bihar and outside. He has always taken care to be noticed at the front of religious events, wearing the Muslim cap quite frequently, so much so that it sometimes seemed as if he had converted his religion. He enjoyed strong minority support, and his party had Muslim leaders such as Koheri, and he even appointed Ali Anwar, the president of the All India Muslim Insaf organization, to the Rajya Sabha. All this, however, did not count for anything. Now, with one move that is not even directed against Muslims but against illegal intrusions on Waqf land, the same community has revolted against him.
Nitish Kumar will now have to recast his political strategy. At his age, nearing retirement, this might not be a major worry for him on an individual basis. However, the JD(U)’s recent interactions — including a press conference that followed a late-night meeting — indicate the party is attempting to strike a balance. The message is: Nitish Kumar has done a lot for the benefit of Muslims and protected their rights, but now the party must stand firm. Most JD(U) leaders feel the party no longer needs to go on the backfoot. If some Muslim leaders quit or protest, it will not matter much. Indeed, JD(U)’s electoral victories have not really been based on Muslim votes — even in the previous elections, they hardly got 2% of Muslim votes. Whether they hold on to their alliance with BJP or not, they will hardly get sizeable Muslim votes, which will tend to go to Congress or Lalu Yadav’s RJD. Thus, JD(U)’s position is now clear — even if Nitish Kumar wishes to take a U-turn to appease Muslims prior to elections, it will be of no use.
BJP feels that Nitish Kumar will return to their fold soon. JD(U)’s leadership can totally get merged with the BJP. Though Nitish Kumar appears a bit in a daze these days, his present stand does not look like changing. He is also giving the impression that he doesn’t bother about resignations or protests from some leaders.
In the meantime, the Congress party has filed the case in the Supreme Court. Stalin has also stated his party will approach the court. But Sanjay Raut declares his party will not approach the Supreme Court — the Waqf Bill matter is shut for them. His remark is noteworthy, particularly since several meetings are being held — both within the BJP and at the government level. During one of the government meetings, a detailed report of Waqf property information was given. As per the information, the Waqf Board owns property worth ₹8 lakh crores, which is divided into different categories: more than 1.56 lakh mosques, 1.4 lakh agricultural lands that are claimed to be encroached upon, and 73,000 disputed properties where the ownership is disputed between state and central governments.
First, the disputed properties will be targeted. Then, illegally occupied lands will be targeted, the maximum number of which are in Punjab. For Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, this is a huge challenge. During Partition, many Muslims who came to Pakistan as refugees gifted their properties to the Waqf Board. In law, such properties should be treated as enemy property. However, the Waqf Board took possession of them, and most of these properties remain in dispute — there are more than 75,000 such properties in Punjab, 56% of which are joint properties forcibly acquired by the Waqf Board. These instances are being examined by Waqf courts at present.
In Parliament, Sanjay Raut made robust assertions, but outside Parliament, he’s in jeopardy. Muslim voters in the last elections asked to be recognized and defended when their support was sought, going to the extent of erecting camps outside polling stations to gain assurance. So if Raut’s party endorsed the Waqf bill in Parliament and then endorsed it publicly or in court too, it would alienate Muslim voters and further fragment the already divided Shiv Sena. The fear of yet another party split — over the court matter — is genuine. This matter is not about elections alone. Even within Congress and other opposition parties, leaders are rethinking their position. Naveen Patnaik’s BJD, for instance, has already dissociated itself from the matter.
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