Kumar Bahukhandi
Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather conducts proceedings of the House during the Budget session of the J&K Assembly, in Jammu (PTI)
Opposition parties, including the People’s Democratic Party and the Awami Ittehad Party, had moved for an adjournment motion to discuss the Waqf Act
Srinagar: Chaos erupted in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Tuesday April8, 2025 when Opposition parties demanded a discussion on the Waqf Act, which was recently passed by Parliament. Following protests from the Opposition parties, the J-K assembly was adjourned for 30 minutes.
Opposition parties, including the People’s Democratic Party and the Awami Ittehad Party, had moved for an adjournment motion to discuss the Waqf Act, which was then subsequently denied by the Speaker under Rule 58 of the house. PDP MLA Waheed Para was marshalled out of the Assembly premises while protesting against the decision not to discuss the Act.
Rule 58 states that no bill under consideration in court shall be discussed. Multiple organisations and political parties, including the AIMIM and Congress, have filed petitions in the Supreme Court against the implementation of the Waqf Act.
Earlier, around 20 MLAs moved an adjournment motion in the assembly, seeking to discuss the Waqf Bill.
PDP’s Waheed Para, speaking to reporters outside the assembly called it “unfortunate” because Jammu and Kashmir is a muslim majority state.
“It is unfortunate that Jammu and Kashmir is the muslim majority region; if there is a Muslim CM in all of India, then it is in J and K. The whole country’s 24 crore muslims are watching this,” Para told reporters.
Urging for all MLAs to support the resolution brought by PDP, he added, “There are 60 MLAs here, out of those 60 if they do not support a resolution which we have moved against the Waqf Act…I think history will judge us forever.”
Criticising the Waqf Act for being against the religious beliefs and sentiments of Muslims, Para further trained his guns at J-K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for giving a “red carpet welcome to Union Minority Minister Kiren Rijiju, who had introduced the bill.
“This is an act which has been passed against the emotion, sentiments and religious beliefs of muslims. There has been a claim on our cemeteries, our masjids and more, and at the same time, our Chief Minister (Omar Abdullah) had given a red carpet to the same (Union) minority minister Kiren Rijiju. Sitting with him who had introduced the bill against muslims,” he said.
Earlier, JK CM met with Union Minister Rijiju on the latter’s Srinagar visit and posted a picture with him at the Tulip Garden in the city.
Urging people to not look at dargahs and masjid as real estate or property but as emotions of muslims, Para continued, “Whether it is Jama masjid, dargah or anything else, it should not be looked at as real estate or property, but should be looked at as an emotion, that it is an identity of every muslim. The government should stay neutral on such issues; it should not become a place of conflict, and now disputes, tensions will rise due to this.”
Meanwhile, Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh, an Awami Ittehad Party MLA and brother of Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid, also protested in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, demanding a discussion on the Waqf (Amendment Bill).
Visuals from the assembly showed the AIP MLA shouting “mahzab ka mamla hai (issue of muslim law),” while Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather urged MLAs to sit down.
( Source : ANI )
