GUWAHATI: The Janata Dal (United) (JDU) witnessed a wave of resignations from senior leaders on Friday, April 4, following the party’s support for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in Parliament. Five leaders, including JDU Youth Wing Vice President Tabrez Hasan, stepped down, accusing the party of betraying its secular stance.
ALSO READ: Supreme Court Declines PIL Seeking Ban On Social Media For Children Below 13
According to sources, the bill, which passed both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha this week, has ignited political turmoil ahead of the Bihar elections. The other JDU leaders who resigned include Minority Cell State Secretary Mohammad Shahnawaz Malik, State General Secretary Mohammad Tabrez Siddiqui from Aligarh, Bhojpur-based member Mohammad Dilshan Rain, and former candidate Mohammad Qasim Ansari.
Tabrez Hasan, in his resignation letter to JDU chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, reportedly said that the party’s decision to back the bill had broken the trust of Muslim supporters. He cited previous policies such as the abrogation of Article 370, the triple talaq law, and the Citizenship Amendment Act as examples of measures that have hurt Muslim interests.
"I had hoped you would maintain your secular image,” Hasan wrote, “but you chose to stand with forces that have repeatedly worked against Muslims." He added that despite submitting memorandums urging the party to oppose the bill, his concerns were ignored.
The resignations have come as a setback for JDU, which relies on Muslim voters in several constituencies. Political analysts believe the party may face challenges in the upcoming Bihar elections as opposition parties seek to capitalise on the discontent.
A similar situation also unfolded in the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), another NDA ally that supported the bill. In Uttar Pradesh, RLD State General Secretary Shahzaib Rizvi tendered his resignation, criticising party chief Jayant Chaudhary for "abandoning secularism" and failing to protect Muslim interests.
"Muslims supported Jayant Chaudhary in large numbers, but he did not stand with us when it mattered," Rizvi reportedly wrote in his resignation letter.
Other RLD leaders at the district level also stepped down. Mohammad Zaki, district general secretary in Hapur, resigned alongside several local leaders. Zaki reportedly accused the party of prioritising political ambition over public interest and thanked the 232 opposition MPs who voted against the bill.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was passed in the Rajya Sabha with 128 votes in favour and 95 against. In the Lok Sabha, the bill saw a closer contest, with 288 MPs supporting it and 232 opposing.
