'Why attend iftar but mum on waqf?' Bihar journalist booked

A journalist from Bihar’s East Champaran has been booked for questioning leaders who attended chief minister Nitish Kumar’s Iftar party. Fazlul Mubeen, editor of the digital platform Milli Khabar, posted pictures of some attendees along with a caption criticising their presence.

According to The Observer Post, Mubeen wrote, “I am ashamed to tell you that these people are from Bihar’s Dhaka. For them, Nitish Kumar is above Imarat Sharia, Muslim Personal Law, Jamiat Ahle Hadis, and Jamiat Ulema. Waqf is our constitutional right—and it is also a matter of our Shariat. Take care of it.”

Following the post, JD(U) Kisan Cell leader Asghar Ali lodged a police complaint. The FIR against the journalist invokes serious charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita: Section 352 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), Section 356(2) (defamation), and Section 302 (hurting religious sentiments).

Speaking to The Observer Post, Mubeen defended his post. “I just questioned why these Muslim leaders were silent on sensitive issues but went to eat at the Iftar party. This is my democratic right.”

Mubeen clarified that all images were already available in the public domain. “Many of the photos were already posted by the people themselves on their Facebook profiles. I didn’t steal or edit anything,” he said.

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He also claimed that a few individuals whose pictures he shared contacted him. “One of them called me and said, ‘If you come and apologise, we can settle the matter.’ But I didn’t do anything wrong, so why should I apologise?”

Mubeen said the incident highlights a growing pressure on journalists. “They want to scare us so we stop speaking the truth. But I won’t back down. I have screenshots and proof of everything I posted.”

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