Bhubaneswar, April 7: Amid growing discontent within certain sections of his party over its recent stance on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and concerns about its secular credentials, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik took a strong stand on his party’s commitment to secularism.
Patnaik addressed these issues during a meeting with leaders of the minority community, emphasizing that his commitment to secular values has always been unwavering, a principle that was central to his decision to part ways with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) following the tragic communal riots in Kandhamal.
The remarks came as the BJD faced mounting pressure over its involvement in the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, a legislation that has sparked debate within political and social circles, particularly among the Muslim community. The bill’s passage has stirred concerns regarding the party’s alignment on key issues affecting religious minorities, prompting the meeting with community leaders. Among the group was Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Muzibulla Khan, popularly known as Muna Khan, who voiced his dissatisfaction with the party’s position on the bill.
Muna Khan, the lone Muslim MP in the Rajya Sabha, raised further concerns by lodging a formal complaint against BJD MP Sasmit Patra. Khan accused Patra of acting in defiance of the party's collective decision by voting in favor of the Waqf Bill. This vote has become a focal point for the party’s critics, with questions being raised about the internal coherence of BJD’s approach to sensitive matters involving religious communities.
In response to the criticisms, Naveen Patnaik took the opportunity to reaffirm his commitment to secularism, emphasizing that his decision to sever ties with the BJP-led NDA in the aftermath of the Kandhamal riots in 2008 was rooted in this very commitment. The BJD’s withdrawal from the alliance, he pointed out, was a principled move in the face of communal violence that took place in the Kandhamal district of Odisha. Patnaik has long positioned himself and his party as champions of secularism, and he reiterated that this stance would not waver despite the challenges faced by the party in recent political developments.
Patnaik’s statement sought to reassure the minority community leaders present at the meeting, many of whom had expressed concerns over the direction of the party's policies and its ability to uphold its secular values in the current political landscape. The BJD president’s comments also served as a reminder of the party's history of standing firm on secular issues, contrasting with the more divisive rhetoric and policies seen in some other political circles.
