Amidst an economic crisis engulfing the entire country, the Legislative Assembly elections in Bihar are attracting a lot of attention. Expectations that Chirag Paswan, the son of deceased Bihar strongman Ram Vilas Paswan, would fill the shoes of his father have fallen flat. By showing that he is more loyal to the service of Prime Minister Narendra Modi than his father, he has found his identity in the state Assembly elections. Trying to bank on the sympathy wave, Chirag is trying to gain the support of voters by becoming a Modi bhakth instead of trying to fight the elections as a representative of the Dalit community. Even to raise his voice against the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who heads the JD(U)-BJP coalition Government, Chirag is using Modi’s name. It appears that Chirag does not have faith in his father’s political charisma.
At the same time, Nitish Kumar’s plight is pathetic. BJP entered Bihar through Nitish’s socialist principles and pro-people administration. But today, a situation has been created where Nitish Kumar has to ask for votes in the name of Modi. But what has Prime Minister Modi achieved? Nobody seems to have answers to the questions about the developmental programs based on which elections are being contested. Are they trying to portray multiple failures over demonetization, GST, and lockdown as their achievements? Or, have Nitish and Chirag Paswan come forward to claim partnership in Ram Mandir, Patel statue, and other such projects?
Presently, the one positive factor in favor of NDA is the absence of strong opposition. In fact, the main opponents are the anti-people policies of the Centre and State NDA governments. In the present elections, BJP has embraced ‘Corona.’ In fact, the Modi-led government welcomed the Coronavirus by rolling out the red carpet. If the airports were shut in February, there would not have been any need for a complete lockdown in the country. Now, the Modi government has come forward to use its achievements of spreading the Coronavirus across the country in the Assembly elections. The NDA has announced in its election manifesto that it would provide free vaccines to the people of Bihar.
The government should first issue a clarification for its failure which resulted in the arrival of the Coronavirus to the country. It should tender an apology for making people bang plates and lit the lamps to take on the Coronavirus. It should answer questions about why the number of Coronavirus-infected persons did not reduce even after a two-month lockdown that pushed people to the brink of economic disaster and destroyed the economy. The mammoth and the humane problem of migrant laborers and their deaths and other issues are left unanswered. Reluctant to address these problems, the government is trying to fool the voters of Bihar by including in its manifesto the promise of providing a vaccine which simply does not exist as of now.
Prime Minister Modi should at least try to address the anguish of people by informing them about the latest development with regard to the production of the Coronavirus vaccine. But the government does not have any such information. In such a situation, without any idea about when the vaccine will be ready, the manifesto’s promise of distributing free vaccine seems a joke. It is similar to how people were cheated on the promise of bringing back black money from foreign countries and depositing Rs 15 lakh each in people’s accounts. Moreover, will the government provide free vaccines only in Bihar? Don’t other states belong to India? How fair is it to limit free health service to one state? Does it mean that people of other states should pay for the vaccine? This shows the bankruptcy of the manifesto. Today, the government must provide assurance to people about the deflated economy. It should announce programs for migrant laborers who are jobless and are virtually on the streets. It should stop talking about the yet-to-be-discovered vaccine. It should provide assurance about addressing the alarming rise of diseases such as tuberculosis. Any promise about giving the vaccine free for the states that it favors and selling it in other states reflects an absolute lack of sensitivity on the part of the government.
Bihar has experienced the maximum pain and distress relating to the problem of migrant laborers. The Modi Government should now ideally talk about hunger and employment in Bihar. It should apply its mind about how to effectively provide medicines and care to the Coronavirus-hit population in the absence of the vaccine not only in Bihar but in the entire country. People are not fools to expect free Corona vaccine. People are more concerned about getting free food grains distributed at the village level. Similarly, if action is taken to control the rising petrol and onion prices, people of not just Bihar but all over the country can heave a sigh of relief.
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Shah says no interference in Muslims' religious matters as Oppn slams Waqf bill as unconstitutional
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New Delhi (PTI): The ruling NDA on Wednesday launched a feisty defence of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha amid the opposition's charge that it was unconstitutional and targeted Muslims, as Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that the government had no intention of interfering in their religious matters and was solely driven by the aim of transparent administration of Waqf properties.
Shah's intervention came during the day-long debate that witnessed a fierce exchange between the two sides, with Congress Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi alleging that the bill was an attempt to attack the basic structure of the Constitution, defame minorities, disenfranchise them and divide the society.
Minorities Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju in his opening remarks rejected the allegation that the proposed law was an interference in the constitutionally guaranteed freedom in religious affairs.
The bill has nothing to do with religion, but deals only with properties, he said tabling the Bill, which was examined and redrafted by a joint committee of Parliament.
"The government is not going to interfere in any religious institution. The changes made in the Waqf law by the UPA government gave it overriding effect over other statutes, hence the new amendments were required," Rijiju said amid noisy opposition protests.
"You (opposition) tried to mislead the people on issues which are not part of the Waqf Bill," she said to the opposition.
Both ministers asserted that the proposed reforms would ensure the welfare of poor Muslims and women.
The BJP was bolstered by a show of support from its key allies like the TDP, JD(U), Shiv Sena and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), while the INDIA bloc put up a united show in opposing the bill.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed that the bill is a BJP's ploy for polarisation following its reverses in the Lok Sabha polls, alleging that it will send a wrong message to the world denting the country's secular image.
The bill will prove to be a "waterloo" for the BJP as some of its allies might be claiming to support the bill but inside they are not happy about the development, he said.
"Bringing Waqf Bill is the BJP's political game, it is a new form of their communal politics. The BJP wants to appease those supporters who are now distancing themselves from the party because of its policies.
After most of the leading opposition leaders had spoken, Shah launched a stout defence of the bill and rejected the most common criticism that the appointment of non-Muslims in the Waqf council and boards violated a community's right to manage its own affairs.
He also warned against instigating Muslims against the law, noting that an opposition MP had said that the minorities will not accept this. "It is the law of the Indian government and Parliament. Everyone will have to accept it."
The bill will become a law after it is notified following its passage in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Shah said the government is not going to have any say in the matters of Waqf, endowments made by Muslims for religiously charitable and pious purposes, adding that the council and boards are aimed at the management of the properties to ensure that they are used in line with the stated aims behind their donation.
He accused the opposition of "fear-mongering" over the bill's provisions, saying this is how they raised a vote bank.
He accused the Congress-led UPA government of effecting many amendments in the Waqf law in 2013 for its appeasement politics, saying these changes made the Act "extreme". Had those changes not been made, the government might not have brought the bill, he added.
He cited a host of instances from across the country about vast properties being claimed by different state Waqf boards, with a section of people involved in their management making personal gains while doing little for the community. The new law will catch such people and throw them out, he added.
"This money is of the poor Muslims not for a few moneybags," he said, citing the meagre income of Rs 163 crore from Waqf properties.
Citing speeches of several opposition leaders, including RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav, in 2013, he said even they had noted the rampant property grab in the name of Waqf law.
Gogoi argued that the bill had not been adequately discussed with minority representatives.
"In 2023, four meetings of the Minority Commission were held, and yet, there was no mention of the need for a Waqf amendment bill. I ask the government - was this bill drafted by the Minority Affairs Ministry or some other department?"
The opposition MP also raised concerns over Clause 3, which defines individuals practising Islam.
"Minorities are now being forced to prove their religious identity with certificates. Tomorrow, will people from other faiths also have to do this? This is against Article 26 of the Constitution," he said.
BJP's Anurag Thakur said, "This bill is not about Hindu versus Muslim, this is law versus lawlessness, Constitution versus corruption."
