The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a blistering attack on Jharkhand Minority Welfare Minister Hafizul Hassan, whose controversial remarks prioritising Shariat over the Constitution have triggered a massive political and ideological confrontation. The JMM leader, speaking on the ongoing protests surrounding Waqf laws, said that Muslims “keep the Quran in their heart and the Constitution in their hand,” and further added, “Shariat is bigger for us.”
The BJP has called the statement “anti-constitutional” and “dangerous for India’s secular and democratic fabric.” While Hassan has tried to offer a clarification, the BJP is demanding accountability, asserting that constitutional oaths are sacrosanct and non-negotiable for any elected leader.
The Jharkhand unit of the BJP took to X to express its outrage in no uncertain terms: “For those who have Shariat in their hearts, the doors to Pakistan and Bangladesh are open. India will run only under the Constitution of Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar and that will remain supreme.”
Zubin Ashara, state media co-head of Gujarat BJP, echoed the sentiment, stating: “This isn’t boldness. It is a betrayal of democracy. If ministers start prioritising religious laws over the Constitution, where does that leave India as a Republic?”
BJP MP Manish Jaiswal, representing Hazaribagh in Jharkhand, launched a stinging attack on Hassan. “If a minister doesn’t believe in the Constitution, he has no business holding office. What if tomorrow a Hindu, Sikh, or Christian refuses to follow the Constitution and insists on religious law? That’s how anarchy begins.”
He added, “India is not an Islamic republic. It’s a secular nation where the Constitution is the highest authority. Shariat, Canon Law, or Dharmashastra are personal belief systems — not guiding frameworks for governance.”
Sanjay Nishad, UP minister and ally in the NDA government, did not mince words either. “Those who want to live by Shariat should go to Pakistan. Visas will be arranged. Pakistan was created for people like them. What are they doing here, benefitting from a secular Constitution while spitting venom against it?” Nishad’s comments found resonance among a large section of netizens, many of whom accused Hassan of abusing his ministerial position to peddle a dangerous, divisive narrative.
Attempting damage control, Minister Hafizul Hassan later said: “I said ‘hum’, not ‘main’. As a minister, I function according to the Constitution. Shariat also has its own place. Just like people say Lord Hanuman is in their heart, I said Quran is in our heart.”
But the BJP dismissed his explanation as “too little, too late.” “This isn’t a poetry recital. This is about national responsibility,” said BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia. “The Constitution cannot come second. Period. A minister who places Shariat above it is unfit to hold any constitutional post.”
Hassan’s remarks come amid protests against the recently enacted Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2025, which were passed during the Budget Session and signed by President Droupadi Murmu on April 5.
The amendments seek to modernise waqf property management by ensuring transparency, regular surveys, proper registration, and time-bound dispute resolution mechanisms. The BJP argues that this is a much-needed step to protect public land from illegal encroachment and ensure accountability in Waqf Boards.
BJP sources say the opposition from parties like AIMIM, Congress, and AAP reflects their “vote bank politics.” “They don’t want reform. They want to keep Muslims emotionally chained to medieval religious structures instead of helping them progress,” said a BJP insider.
The BJP is using the Hafizul Hassan episode to reaffirm its long-standing ideological commitment to One Nation, One Law — an idea that rejects the notion of parallel legal systems. The party asserts that laws rooted in religion, whether Hindu, Muslim, or Christian, cannot and should not interfere with public policy, justice, or governance.
“The Constitution of India — drafted by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar — is our holy book in governance. Anyone who attempts to undermine it is not just unfit for public office but is playing with fire,” said Union Minister Anurag Thakur.
In a press conference, BJP National General Secretary C.T. Ravi added: “The Congress and its allies have always tried to divide the country by placing religion above nationhood. Hafizul Hassan’s statement is a classic example of that mindset. It’s time the nation chooses Constitution over appeasement.”
