With Tamil Nadu elections approaching early next year, DMK president and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has positioned himself as one of the most vocal critics of the Waqf Amendment Bill, which is on the verge of Parliamentary approval.
On Thursday, Stalin wore a black badge to the assembly in protest against the Bill’s passage in the Lok Sabha. He also declared that his government would challenge the legislation in the Supreme Court, reinforcing his stance as a strong opponent of the controversial amendment.
“This is an act that disturbs religious harmony. To highlight this, we are participating in today’s assembly proceedings wearing black badges,” the chief minister told the House.
“I would like to inform you that the Supreme Court will be approached on behalf of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) against this controversial amendment. Tamil Nadu will fight against the Union government’s law which destroys the autonomy of the Waqf Board and threatens the minority Muslim population,” Stalin said amidst thumping of desks by the Treasury.
His party member in Rajya Sabha Tiruchi Siva made a strong case against the Bill and claimed that the BJP-led NDA government was targeting the Muslims.
“Why is a certain community being targeted? Govt intention is malafide and deplorable. The government says ‘sabka saath, sabka vishwaas’, but they have a different policy for Muslims – exclusion and marginalistaion. It is a sad day as Constitution has given rights to the Muslims, but they have been deprived of their rights. We should remember that Muslims also have contributed to the development of the country,” T Siva said in his speech in the Upper House. Siva in his speech highlighted how the BJP governments in states like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh were targeting the Muslims.
Earlier on Wednesday, when the Bill was being debated in Lok Sabha, Stalin shot off a letter to Prime Minister Modi against the legislation.
“The Constitution of India grants every citizen the right to follow their respective religion and it is the duty of the elected governments to uphold and protect this right. However, the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act, 1995 have not taken into consideration the constitutional protection given to minorities and are bound to severely harm the interest of Muslim community,” Stalin wrote in his letter.
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Stalin’s Resolution Against Waqf Bill Puts Rivals on the Backfoot
Last week, on March 27, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had a resolution passed in the state assembly opposing the proposed Waqf Bill. The resolution asserted that the legislation would undermine religious harmony in India and negatively impact the Muslim minority community.
Stalin’s recent political moves seem to be part of a calculated strategy to gain the upper hand over his rivals ahead of the assembly elections early next year. Interestingly, his arch-rival AIADMK has been compelled to support the DMK government on these key issues.
Adding to the opposition, actor-politician and Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam chief Vijay, who could be a wild card in the upcoming elections, has also criticized the Waqf Bill, calling it “anti-democratic” and demanding its withdrawal.
Accusing the BJP of engaging in “majoritarian and divisive politics,” Vijay questioned whether the Bill was a “psychological attack” on Muslims and dismissed the BJP-led Centre’s justifications for the legislation.
“The TVK urges that the anti-democratic Bill be immediately taken back heeding the voice of all democratic forces. In case the union government led by the BJP does not do this, the TVK will join forces with Muslim brothers and take part in their Waqf rights legal struggle,” Vijay said.
Stalin has been quick to latch on to some of the issues raised by the BJP in the state.
Stalin Frames Language Policy and Delimitation as Tamil Nadu’s Battle for Rights
When Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan urged the DMK government in Tamil Nadu to implement the three-language policy, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin turned it into a state’s rights issue. He alleged that the BJP was not enforcing the National Education Policy (NEP) but rather pushing a “saffron agenda” aimed at promoting Hindi over national development.
Accusing the Centre of attempting to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu, Stalin warned that the state was prepared for another language war. But his opposition didn’t stop there.
Simultaneously, he escalated concerns over the potential loss of Lok Sabha seats for Tamil Nadu under the proposed delimitation exercise. To counter this, he convened an all-party meeting, asserting that Tamil Nadu should not be penalized for successful development and population control.
With Muslims making up nearly 6% of the state’s population and traditionally supporting both the DMK and AIADMK in different regions, Stalin may be looking to solidify their support for his party. Additionally, there seems to be a larger political strategy at play—Stalin appears to be positioning the DMK as a key national player and a central force in opposition unity against the BJP. This was evident when he brought together opposition CMs and leaders from non-NDA parties as part of a joint action committee against delimitation.
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