The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) launched a nationwide protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Patna on Wednesday, claiming that the proposed bill undermines Muslim minority rights.

Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and other opposition leaders raised the issue of the Waqf Amendment Bill at the Bihar Assembly as well.

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The day-long sit-in protest was part of the AIMPLB’s resolve to adopt all constitutional, legal and democratic means to oppose the Bill, which is ”unconstitutional and undemocratic”.

The next sit-in protest is planned at Vijayawada on 29 March. It will be followed by major rallies in Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Malerkotla (Punjab), and Ranchi.

The AIMPLB has been trying to convince Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, and LJP (R) leader Chirag Paswan to oppose the Bill, which is against minority rights.

Now, as the proposed legislation is expected to be introduced in Parliament during the ongoing Budget Session, the Muslim organisations have launched a nationwide protest to send a clear message to the key NDA allies that they should either withdraw support for the Bill or risk losing their support.

A few days ago, prominent Muslim organisations, including the AIMPLB and the Imarat-e-Shariah, had boycotted an iftar party hosted by Nitish Kumar to oppose his stand on the proposed Waqf Bill.

Being an election year, it came as a rude shock to the JD(U).

The Wednesday protest organised by the AIMPLB received extensive support from political establishments, including the RJD, Congress, Jan Suraaj and Communist parties.

RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kihsor, Azad Samaj Party Founder Chandra Shekhar Aazad were the eminent politicians who attended the protest.

Addressing the gathering, Lalu Prasad said, “We will not compromise at any cost with our resolution against communal forces. We are with you and will always support you on the proposed Waqf Bill that has been brought against the constitutional norms in the country. Such undemocratic actions of the central government need to be strongly opposed.”

Tejashwi Prasad Yadav assured Muslims that the RJD will continue to protest from the streets to the House until the Waqf Amendment Bill is withdrawn.

The RJD and other opposition leaders raised the issue of the Waqf Amendment Bill at the Bihar Assembly as well. RJD MLA Akhtarul Islam Shaheen said that the JD(U) should also oppose the Waqf Amendment Bill.

Outside the House, the opposition leaders remained adamant on the demand to withdraw the Waqf Amendment Bill, while inside the House, the uproar of the opposition leaders became so intense that the proceedings of the Assembly had to be adjourned.