Ruckus inside J&K Assembly continues for second day over Waqf Act
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed a ruckus for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as opposition parties demanded a discussion on the Waqf Act, which led to the adjournment of the House for 30 minutes. The Assembly was also adjourned on Monday after Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather denied a motion moved by National Conference MLAs to adjourn Question Hour to discuss the Waqf Act.
The Waqf Act, which was passed by the PDP-BJP government in 2013, has been a contentious issue in the state. The Act aims to regulate and manage the affairs of Waqf properties, which are religious endowments. However, the opposition parties have been criticizing the government for its alleged attempts to amend the Act without consulting the stakeholders.
On Monday, National Conference MLAs moved a motion to adjourn Question Hour to discuss the Waqf Act, but Speaker Rather denied it. This led to a heated debate between the ruling PDP-BJP alliance and the opposition parties, with the latter demanding a discussion on the Act.
The opposition parties, including National Conference, Congress, and CPI-M, are demanding that the government should not amend the Waqf Act without consulting the stakeholders, including the Waqf Board and the Muslim community. They are also demanding that the government should not try to privatize the Waqf properties.
“The Waqf Act is very important for the Muslim community of Jammu and Kashmir, and the government should not try to amend it without consulting the stakeholders,” said National Conference MLA, Nasir Aslam Wani. “We will continue to fight for the rights of the Muslim community and will not allow the government to privatize the Waqf properties.”
The ruling PDP-BJP alliance, on the other hand, is trying to defend its decision to amend the Waqf Act. The government has claimed that the Act needs to be amended to make it more transparent and accountable. However, the opposition parties are not convinced by the government’s arguments and are demanding that the Act should not be amended without consulting the stakeholders.
The tension between the ruling and opposition parties continued on Tuesday, with the latter demanding a discussion on the Waqf Act. The Speaker, however, denied the motion, which led to a ruckus in the House. The Assembly was adjourned for 30 minutes, and the proceedings were suspended until the next day.
The situation in the Assembly is likely to remain tense in the coming days, with the opposition parties refusing to back down on their demand for a discussion on the Waqf Act. The government, on the other hand, is determined to push through its amendments to the Act, despite the opposition from the Muslim community and other stakeholders.
The Waqf Act is a sensitive issue in Jammu and Kashmir, and any attempt to amend it without consulting the stakeholders can lead to a backlash from the Muslim community. The government’s decision to amend the Act has already sparked protests in the state, and the situation is likely to remain tense in the coming days.
The ruckus inside the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is a clear indication of the deep-seated divisions in the state. The opposition parties are determined to fight for the rights of the Muslim community, while the ruling PDP-BJP alliance is trying to push through its amendments to the Waqf Act. The situation is likely to remain tense in the coming days, and it remains to be seen whether the government will be able to push through its amendments to the Act.
