Wed Apr 02 13:37:24 UTC 2025: ## BJP Ally Backs Waqf Bill, Slams Opposition’s “Anti-Muslim” Narrative

**New Delhi, April 2, 2025** – A key ally of the BJP, the Janata Dal (United) (JD-U), strongly endorsed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha today, accusing opposition parties of spreading a false narrative that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is anti-Muslim.

Union Minister Lalan Singh, a prominent JD-U leader, asserted that the bill’s amendments benefit “pasmanda” (backward) Muslims, women, and the poor within the community by promoting transparency in Waqf board operations. He predicted that the pasmanda community will support Modi in upcoming elections, citing the perceived justice received under his government. Singh further defended Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s support for the bill, rejecting accusations of compromised secularism. He highlighted Kumar’s record of supporting Muslim communities in Bihar over nearly two decades.

Singh also criticized opposition parties for advocating for a caste census while neglecting the representation of pasmanda communities within Waqf boards. He lauded Minister Kiren Rijiju for preventing potential claims on government buildings as Waqf properties. Singh characterized the bill’s critics as either vote-seeking politicians exploiting religious sentiments or those who have illegally acquired Waqf assets and stand to lose control. He accused the opposition of deliberately creating an anti-Muslim atmosphere surrounding the legislation. Singh clarified that Waqf is a trust working for the benefit of Muslims, not a religious organization.

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