Jammu & Kashmir Assembly adjourned amid uproar over Waqf Act
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Monday witnessed a massive uproar as the Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather, denied an adjournment motion on the Waqf Act. The House was subsequently adjourned due to the pandemonium. The National Conference (NC) MLAs had moved a motion to adjourn the Question Hour to discuss the Waqf Act, which led to a heated debate on the floor of the House.
The Waqf Act is a contentious issue in Jammu and Kashmir, with many political parties and religious groups having different opinions on its implementation. The NC, which is a key player in the state’s politics, has been vocal about its opposition to the Act, claiming that it will lead to the takeover of the state’s Waqfs (charitable endowments) by the Centre.
The NC MLAs, led by the party’s president, Farooq Abdullah, moved the adjournment motion, demanding that the Question Hour be held to discuss the Waqf Act. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is a key ally of the state’s ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also protested, demanding that the Question Hour be held as scheduled.
The Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather, denied the adjournment motion, leading to a heated debate between the NC and BJP MLAs. The NC MLAs were adamant that the Waqf Act needed to be discussed in the House, while the BJP MLAs argued that the issue was a Centre-State dispute and should be resolved through dialogue between the two governments.
The chaos in the House was so intense that the Speaker had to intervene several times to restore order. However, despite his efforts, the House was eventually adjourned, leaving the Waqf Act issue unresolved.
The Waqf Act is a sensitive issue in Jammu and Kashmir, with many religious groups and political parties having different opinions on its implementation. The Act was passed by the Centre in 2013, and it aims to regulate the management of Waqfs in the state. However, many religious groups and political parties have been opposed to the Act, claiming that it will lead to the takeover of the state’s Waqfs by the Centre.
The NC has been a vocal critic of the Waqf Act, and its leaders have claimed that the Act is a move by the Centre to undermine the state’s autonomy. The party has also accused the BJP of trying to impose its ideology on the state through the Act.
The BJP, on the other hand, has defended the Waqf Act, claiming that it is necessary to regulate the management of Waqfs in the state. The party has also accused the NC of trying to create a controversy over a non-issue.
The adjournment of the House over the Waqf Act issue has raised questions about the state’s political stability. The issue has the potential to create a rift between the NC and BJP, which are key players in the state’s politics. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the PDP, which is the ruling party in the state, is also opposed to the Waqf Act.
In conclusion, the adjournment of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly over the Waqf Act issue is a significant development in the state’s politics. The issue has the potential to create a rift between the NC and BJP, and it remains to be seen how the state’s political parties will resolve the issue.
