Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Faces Boycott Over Support for Controversial Waqf Bill
The Imarat Shariah and other Muslim groups reject Kumar's Iftaar invitation, citing his BJP alliance and backing of legislation seen as undermining minority rights.
- The Imarat Shariah, a leading Muslim organization in Bihar, has officially boycotted Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's government-organized Iftaar event on March 23, 2025.
- The group criticized Kumar's support for the Waqf Bill 2024, which they argue threatens the economic and educational standing of Muslims by altering Waqf property regulations.
- Key provisions of the bill include eliminating the 'waqf by user' rule, restricting Waqf property creation by recent converts, and removing a Muslim law expert from Waqf Tribunals.
- The Imarat Shariah accused Kumar of abandoning his secular commitments by aligning with the BJP and called the Iftaar event 'tokenism' that ignores substantive concerns of the Muslim community.
- Nitish Kumar and his party JD(U) have yet to respond to the boycott, which comes months before the Bihar assembly elections, where Muslim votes are traditionally significant.
Hindustan Times 
Free Press Journal 
