Priyanka Tiwari
Share
A leading Muslim organization in Bihar, the Imarat Shariah, has announced its decision to boycott Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Iftaar event in protest against his backing of the controversial Waqf Bill. The body, which has followers in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha, released a statement addressing the invitation for the event, which is set to take place at the CM's residence on Sunday.
The letter from the Imarat Shariah stated: "A decision has been taken not to attend the government (sarkaari) Iftaar on March 23... this decision has been made in light of your support for the Waqf Bill, which threatens to worsen the economic and educational backwardness of Muslims."
The letter went on to criticize Kumar for his unfulfilled promises, saying, "You rose to power with a commitment to a secular rule that would protect the rights of minorities. However, your alliance with the BJP and your backing of a legislation that is unconstitutional and illogical contradicts your previous promises."
The organization further dismissed the Chief Minister's Iftaar event as "tokenism," arguing that the government's apparent indifference towards addressing the real concerns of the Muslim community rendered such formal gatherings meaningless.
At the time of writing, there was no immediate comment from Nitish Kumar or his party, the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)). The party, which traditionally garners support from Muslim voters by emphasizing its "secular" image, shares power with the BJP both at the state level in Bihar and at the national level. Assembly elections in Bihar are also scheduled for later this year, adding further political context to this development.
