PATNA: A day after Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Sinha remarked that those who oppose the Waqf Amendment Bill will be treated as traitors and jailed, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, said on Saturday that the bill would be thrown into the dustbin if the RJD-led Grand Alliance comes to power.
Talking to media persons at state RJD office, Tejashwi described the Bill as ‘unconstitutional’ and said that it was an attempt of BJP to divide the country. “They introduced the Bill in the parliament during budget session to divert people’s attention from real issues,” he alleged.
Waqf Amendment Bill was passed by both the parliament Houses after a long and intense debate.
Tejashwi said, “RJD opposed the Bill in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. All our MPs voted against it. We all believe that it is an unconstitutional Bill, it is in violation of Article 26.” He alleged that the BJP was in a hurry to table the Bill in the parliament to polarise voters as elections are due in several states, including Bihar, in a year or two.
He said Bihar assembly elections are due in October-November this year. “BJP will feet the heat of the Bill in the ensuing assembly elections in the state. People are very much aware of intentions of the saffron party behind pushing the Bill. They intent to do polarisation, divide country and divert people’s attention from real issues like unemployment, inflation, poverty and economic situation,” he asserted.
Alleging that BJP and RSS were against the constitution and were attempting to end it on one pretext or the other, former Bihar deputy chief minister said that they (BJP-RSS) have nothing to do with people’s welfare. On the other hand, we are secular and do politics of principle and ideology. We will never compromise with principles and ideology and continue to fight against their sinister design,” he said in response to a media query.
Without taking the name of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, Tejashwi said that CM is not keeping well. “I don’t want to comment on him. But the parties that claimed themselves to be champions of social justice and secular now stand exposed,” he added.
Bihar deputy chief minister and BJP leader Vijay Kumar Sinha made a controversial statement by warning on Friday that anyone protesting against the Bill would be treated as ‘traitors’ and face arrest. “This is not Pakistan, this is Hindustan,” he added.
Sinha further said, “Those who break the law will be arrested. This the Narendra Modi government and those found to be wrong side of the law would be brought to book as per law of the land. The Waqf Amendment Bill that has been passed by both Houses of parliament should be respected by all. Those who oppose the Bill are traitors. Such people should be immediately arrested,” he asserted.
On the other hand, Jan Suraaj Party founded by political strategist-turned activist Prashant Kishor had appealed to Muslim leaders of JD(U) to quit the party for its stand on the Waqf Amendment Bill in the parliament. “Nitish became the CM again in 2015 with the support of Muslims,” Kishor had claimed.
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