Jharkhand’s Minority Welfare and Water Resources Minister, Hafizul Hasan Ansari, stirred a major political controversy today with his remarks suggesting that Islamic Sharia law holds precedence over the Indian Constitution for Muslims.
The statement, reportedly made around the time of Ambedkar Jayanti, led to swift backlash from opposition leaders and even drew criticism from within the ruling coalition. Ansari, who represents the Madhupur constituency, initially made comments implying that Sharia law is paramount for Muslims.
However, amid mounting criticism, he later issued a clarification, asserting that both the Constitution and Sharia are equally important in the lives of Indian Muslims.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reacted strongly to the remarks. BJP state president Babulal Marandi denounced Ansari’s statement as dangerous and accused both the Congress party and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) — the two parties in the ruling coalition — of betraying the values of the Constitution.
He claimed that the minister’s words reflected the “real face” of the Congress and JMM and demanded that both parties provide an explanation to the public. Marandi further insisted that Hafizul Hasan Ansari should be immediately removed from his ministerial position.
Echoing similar sentiments, former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das condemned the minister’s remarks and linked them to the larger ideological stance of the JMM-Congress alliance.
He described the comments as deeply disrespectful to Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, especially since they came on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti. Das accused the ruling parties of hypocrisy for publicly honouring the Constitution while allegedly harbouring views that undermine it.
BJP legislator CP Singh also attacked Ansari, accusing him of placing religious law above national law and questioning his commitment to the country. Singh alleged that such views are held by others in the ruling coalition as well, implying a broader ideological alignment within the government.
Amidst the uproar, voices of dissent also emerged from within the Congress party. Former state Congress president Pradeep Balmuchu distanced himself from Ansari’s views and urged the minister to refrain from making such divisive statements.
Balmuchu underscored that the Constitution must come first for every Indian and said it is the very framework that grants religious freedom to all communities, including Muslims. His remarks sought to reassure the public of the Congress party’s continued commitment to constitutional values.
The controversy has triggered a political firestorm in Jharkhand, with the opposition demanding accountability and the ruling coalition scrambling to contain the fallout.
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