Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JUH), one of India’s largest Muslim organisations, has announced a boycott of Iftar, Eid Milan, and other events hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, and Union Minister Chirag Paswan.
The decision comes in protest against their endorsement of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, which Muslim groups view as an encroachment on their religious and community affairs.
The bill, expected to be tabled in the ongoing budget session after receiving clearance from the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) led by BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, has drawn widespread criticism from Muslim organisations.
Kumar, Naidu, and Paswan—all members of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government—have effectively backed the bill by supporting the amendments recommended by the JPC.
Jamiat President Arshad Madani justified the boycott as a symbolic protest against these leaders’ silence on what he termed “atrocities and injustices against Muslims.”
“As a symbolic protest, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind will not attend Iftar, Eid Milan, and other events of leaders like Nitish Kumar, Naidu, and Chirag Paswan, who call themselves secular. These people are silent on the injustice and atrocities being committed against Muslims for the sake of power and are supporting the government against the Constitution of the country,” Madani posted on X.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has also taken a strong stance against the bill, vowing to hold BJP’s allied parties accountable. Several Muslim groups are preparing large-scale protests, signaling a broader confrontation.
In Bihar, prominent Muslim organisations have rejected the state government’s Iftar invitation in a scathing letter to Nitish Kumar:
“We, the undersigned Milli organisations of Bihar, collectively decline your invitation to the Government Iftar on 23rd March 2025 in protest against your continued support for the proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024. This bill threatens the very existence of Waqf properties, violates constitutional protections, and deepens the economic and educational marginalisation of Muslims.”
Following this, the Imarat Shariah and other Muslim organisations in Bihar have scheduled a massive protest on March 26 in Patna, modeled after the Jantar Mantar demonstrations in Delhi. The protest will bring together Muslim organisations affiliated with AIMPLB, like-minded MPs, and various political and social groups.
The decision has sparked concern within Nitish Kumar’s camp, particularly among JD(U)’s Muslim leaders.
As Bihar heads toward elections, political observers believe this boycott movement could significantly impact the electoral prospects of Nitish Kumar, Chirag Paswan, and Chandrababu Naidu. Jamiat’s stance signals a broader strategy by Muslim organisations to challenge NDA allies, particularly in states where Muslims form a sizable electorate.
Meanwhile, similar campaigns have been launched in Telangana, where the Welfare Party has called for a boycott of the state government’s Iftar party. The lack of a single Muslim minister in Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s cabinet has fueled resentment, adding to the growing disenchantment among Muslims with mainstream political parties.
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