"Beginning of such things...": Congress leader Manickam Tagore on resignation of Mohammed Kasim Ansari

New Delhi [India], April 4 (ANI): Reacting to the resignation of Mohammed Kasim Ansari from the JD(U) for the party's stand on the Waqf Amendment Bill, Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Thursday said that this is just the beginning of such things.
"This is the beginning of such things... JDU leader who has resigned from the party shows that it is a betrayal to the people and the Constitution; it will happen to the TDP and NCP because they have betrayed their voter," Tagore said.
Reacting to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's statement on the Waqf Bill, he said that INDIA bloc partners believe that it is an attack on their rights.
"Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has clearly said that RSS and BJP are behind this and all INDIA bloc partners believe that it is an attack on their rights. That attack has to be saved whenever INDIA alliance wins back the trust of people," he added.
Mohammed Kasim Ansari resigned from the primary membership of the Janata Dal (United) after the party supported the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha.
In his resignation letter to Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar, Ansari said the party's stance on the Waqf Amendment Bill had "deeply hurt" millions of Muslims.
"With due respect, I wish to state that millions of Indian Muslims like me had unwavering faith that you were a true flagbearer of secular ideology. However, that belief has now been shattered. The stand taken by JD(U) regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2024 has deeply hurt millions of dedicated Indian Muslims and party workers like me," Ansari wrote.
He also criticised JD(U) leader Lalan Singh's speech in the Lok Sabha while supporting the bill.
"We are deeply pained by the stance and tone in which Lalan Singh delivered his speech in the Lok Sabha while supporting this bill. The Waqf Bill is against Indian Muslims, and under no circumstances can we accept it. This bill violates several fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution. Through this bill, Indian Muslims are being humiliated and disrespected. Moreover, the bill is also anti-Pasmanda Muslims, something neither you nor your party seem to realize," Ansari mentioned in his letter to Nitish Kumar.
Expressing his disappointment, he said he 'regretted' his years of service to the party.
"I deeply regret having dedicated several years of my life to this party. Therefore, I am voluntarily resigning from the primary membership of the party and all other responsibilities," Ansari added.
Lok Sabha, which took up discussion on the Waqf (Amendment Bill) on Wednesday, passed it past midnight after a marathon debate. (ANI)