Opposition, Mirwaiz slam Speaker for disallowing discussion on Waqf Bill

Kashmir-based political and religious leaders on Monday criticised Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather for disallowing discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti lashed out at the Speaker for rejecting the motion on the Waqf Bill. “It’s profoundly disappointing that the Speaker of the J&K Assembly has rejected the motion on the Waqf Bill. Despite securing a strong mandate, the government appears to have completely yielded to the BJP’s anti-Muslim agenda, cynically attempting to appease both sides,” she said in a post on X.

“The National Conference (NC) could learn from Tamil Nadu’s government, which has firmly opposed the Waqf Bill. In J&K, the only Muslim-majority region, it’s alarming that a supposedly people-centric government lacks the courage even to debate this critical issue,” added Mehbooba.

Reacting to Speaker’s decision, Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq posted on X, “It is ridiculous and condemnable that Tamil Nadu which only has 6% Muslim population, passes a strong anti Wakf resolution in it’s assembly, while the Muslim majority J&K assembly speaker is struggling and refusing, by hiding behind technicalities, to discuss this deeply concerning issue for the Muslims of the state.”

“The Speaker would know that the strong people’s mandate given to his party was precisely for the reason that the party had promised to safeguard the interests of the people being trampled upon since August 2019 and take a stand for them in critical matters. Why is he capitulating so meekly?” he stated.

People’s Conference president and Handwara MLA Sajad Lone also questioned the Speaker and the ruling National Conference. “The Speaker who disallowed the adjournment motion is from the NC and holds the post at the pleasure of the NC. The agitating members who brought the motion are also from the NC,” he said.

Lone also commented on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and NC president Farooq Abdullah taking a morning walk with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju in Srinagar on Monday. “I fail to understand this judge, jury, and executioner role of the NC. The moral of the story: the only Muslim-majority province in India fails to collectively condemn the Waqf Bill and instead lapses three bills on statehood,” he said.

J & K