Waqf Act promise: Can Tejashwi deliver if Mahagathbandhan wins Bihar polls?

Tejashwi Yadav accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of allowing the Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to enter Bihar's political landscape

In a bid to strengthen his appeal in Muslim-majority areas ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls, the Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav said the Waqf (Amendment) Act would be “thrown into the dustbin” if the alliance comes to power in the elections scheduled for November 6 and 11.

 

While addressing a rally in the Muslim-dominated Katihar district on October 26, Yadav accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of allowing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to enter Bihar’s political landscape, saying his father, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, had never bowed to communal forces.

 

“Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has always supported such forces, and it is because of him that the RSS and its affiliates are spreading communal hatred in the state as well as in the country. The BJP should be called ‘Bharat Jalao Party’. If the INDIA bloc comes to power in the state, we will throw the Waqf Act into the dustbin,” he said.

 

However, his remarks drew backlash, with several leaders accusing him of making promises “beyond his authority.”

Can the Waqf Bill be scrapped?

The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 was passed by Parliament in April, making it a Central law. This means a state government cannot withdraw or repeal it, as only Parliament has the authority to amend or nullify Central legislation. 

 

Reacting to Yadav’s remarks, BJP national spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain criticised the statement, saying, “RJD leaders are from the era of jungle raj. They do not realise that the law passed by Parliament has also been upheld by the Supreme Court. Such statements are made only to mislead the public. The Waqf Amendment Act has already been enacted… RJD is completely disappointed and frustrated,” ANI reported.

 

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari also hit out at Yadav, saying, “These people are confusing the public. The Waqf Board Bill is passed in Parliament, not in the assembly. One should speak within one’s capacity and about matters one can actually change,” ANI said.

Muslims in Bihar elections

According to the 2011 Census, Muslims make up 16.9 per cent of Bihar’s population, a Hindustan Times report said. The figure has remained largely unchanged in the 2023 caste survey conducted by the state government.

 

Kishanganj is Bihar’s only Muslim-majority district, while Araria, Katihar, and Purnea have substantial Muslim populations. These districts fall within the Seemanchal belt in northeastern Bihar, a region bordering West Bengal and Bangladesh, which has been known for its dense Muslim population.  ALSO READ | Two decades of Nitish Kumar: How 'Sushasan babu' reshaped Bihar's story

Yadav’s mega rally in Saran today

Just a day after his “dustbin” remark, Yadav is set to address a mega rally in Saran today to gather public support ahead of the elections.

 

Describing the election as a battle to safeguard the Constitution and India’s pluralist values, Yadav had said the country belongs to everyone, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians, all of whom have made sacrifices for it. The Constitution guarantees equal rights to every citizen, he said.