2 JDU Leaders Resign Over Party’s Support For Waqf Bill

New Delhi:

Two key Janata Dal (United) leaders resigned from the party headed by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the party’s support to the passing of the Waqf Amendment Bill.

In a letter to Nitish Kumar, senior JD(U) leader Mohammed Qasim Ansari said the party supporting the Centre on the Waqf issue has left him “disheartened”. Qasim Ansari said the Waqf Amendment Bill “goes against our principles”.

The other leader, Mohammad Ashraf Ansari, who heads the JD(U) minority wing, in his resignation letter said millions of Indian Muslims had unwavering faith that Nitish Kumar was the flag-bearer of a purely secular ideology.

“But now this belief has been broken. Millions of dedicated Indian Muslims and workers like us have been deeply hurt by the stand of JD(U)… We are deeply saddened by the manner and style in which Lallan Singh gave his speech and supported this bill in the Lok Sabha. The Waqf Bill is against Indian Muslims,” Ashraf Ansari said.