JDU leader resigns from party over its stand on Waqf Bill

In a letter to JD(U) president and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Mohammed Qasim Ansari expressed deep disappointment.

Senior JD(U) leader Mohammed Qasim Ansari on Thursday resigned from the party and all his posts, criticising the party's support for the Waqf Amendment Bill, which was passed in the Lok Sabha despite widespread opposition.

Opposition MPs protest in the Lok Sabha against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill during the Budget Session of Parliament, in New Delhi on April 2. (ANI)

In a letter to JD(U) president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Ansari expressed deep disappointment, saying the party’s stance had shattered the trust of millions of Indian Muslims who believed JD(U) would uphold secular values.

In his letter to Kumar, he said, "Millions of Indian Muslims like us had unwavering faith in you as a flag bearer of a truly secular ideology. However, that belief has now been shattered. The stand taken by JD(U) on the Waqf Bill Amendment Act 2024 has deeply shocked millions of dedicated Indian Muslims and activists. We are extremely disheartened by the manner in which Lallan Singh delivered his speech and supported this bill in the Lok Sabha."