'All the land has been grabbed': When Lalu Yadav demanded strict law for Waqf Boards 

As opposition parties mounted resistance to the Centre's Waqf Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, an old video of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav has resurfaced, stirring political chatter. The clip, dated May 7, 2010, shows Yadav raising concerns over land encroachments linked to the Waqf and calling for stringent legislation.

In the video, Lalu is seen speaking in the Lok Sabha, saying: “Look, there should be a very strict law. All the land has been grabbed — whether it's government land or private land, or land belonging to those who worked there. Everything has been sold off. Prime land. It's not like it was agricultural land. All the property near Patna's Dak Bungalow has been turned into apartments. Everyone has looted. From now on... well, today, go ahead and bring this, we will pass your amendment. But going forward, whatever process is being created, it must be done strictly.”

The video was shared by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on social media, drawing attention to what many see as a contrast with RJD's current position on the Waqf Bill.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has come out strongly against the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2024. Speaking to ANI on Tuesday, he said, “This is an unconstitutional Bill. We are people who believe in the Constitution. People of BJP want to impose 'Nagpur ka kanoon'; that is not at all acceptable to us. We believe in 'Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb', the diversity of our country is the beauty of it.”

Tejashwi also said the RJD has opposed the Bill in both Houses of Parliament as well as in the Bihar Legislative Assembly and Council. “We will oppose it even in the time to come. Such a Bill will never be acceptable to us. Despite his health condition, Lalu ji joined the protest,” he added.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju tabled the Waqf Bill in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, saying it aims to ensure transparency and accountability in managing Waqf properties and is in the interests of poor Muslims, women, and children. He said the legislation, which will be renamed as the Unified Waqf Management Empowerment, Efficiency and Development (UMEED) Bill, corrects previous amendments that gave the Waqf Act overriding power over other laws.

“The Congress government denotified 123 properties and handed them over to the Waqf Board. If we had not introduced this amendment, even the Parliament building could have been claimed as Waqf property,” Rijiju said. He stressed that the bill does not seek to “snatch” land or mosques of the Muslim community and clarified that it is not applicable retrospectively.