Political, religious leaders criticise J&K Legislative Assembly Speaker for disallowing discussion on Waqf Bill

Srinagar, April 07: Politicians and religious leaders on Monday criticised the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather, for disallowing the discussion on the Waqf Amendment Bill.

This came after the J&K Legislative Assembly witnessed chaotic scenes as the Speaker, A R Rather, disallowed the adjournment motion moved by 9 members on the issue. Rather quoted rules 56 and 58 to reject adjournment motions and specified that under sub rule 7 of Rule 58 dealing with adjournment motions, sub judice issues cannot be discussed in the Legislative Assembly.

Reacting over these developments, chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, said in a post 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?” the post read.

Former Chief Minister and PDP President, Mehbooba Mufti, also lashed out at the Speaker for rejecting the motion on the Waqf Bill.

“It’s profoundly disappointing that the speaker 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 social media post. “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.

Meanwhile, People’s Conference President Sajad Lone slammed Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for not protesting against the new law. “ The least Muslims of India deserved was that in J and K, the only Muslim majority province in India, the CM, as a mark of protest, stays away from Mr Kiren Rijju, who presented the waqf bill. Instead, he tags along Farooq Sahib as well. What a shame,” he said in a post on X.