Ruckus Inside J&K Assembly Continues for Second Day over Waqf Act
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed chaos for the second consecutive day as the opposition parties continued to demand a discussion on the Waqf Act. The Assembly was adjourned for 30 minutes after the Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather, refused to allow a debate on the bill. The assembly had witnessed a similar ruckus on Monday when the Speaker had denied a motion moved by the National Conference MLAs to adjourn the Question Hour to discuss the Waqf Act.
The opposition parties, including the National Conference, Congress, and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are upset over the government’s decision to bring the Waqf Act, which they claim will benefit a particular community at the expense of others. The bill aims to regulate the management of Waqf properties, which are religious endowments in the state.
On Tuesday, the National Conference MLA, Mohammad Akbar Lone, moved a motion to adjourn the House to discuss the Waqf Act, but the Speaker refused to accept it. This led to a heated exchange between the opposition parties and the ruling party, with the opposition accusing the government of trying to suppress their voices.
The PDP MLA, Abdul Haq Khan, accused the government of being “anti-people” and said that the Waqf Act was a “black law” that aimed to “benefit a particular community”. The Congress MLA, Vikramaditya Singh, also joined the chorus, saying that the government was trying to “divide” the people of the state.
The National Conference MLA, Ali Mohammad Sagar, accused the government of not being transparent in its decision-making process and said that the Waqf Act was a “clear example” of how the government was ignoring the voices of the opposition.
The ruling party, however, defended the Waqf Act, saying that it was necessary to regulate the management of Waqf properties and that it would help to ensure that the properties were used for the benefit of all communities.
The government also claimed that the opposition parties were trying to create a “communal divide” in the state by opposing the Waqf Act. The Deputy Chief Minister, JKNCA K Lalchand, said that the opposition parties were trying to “politicize” a religious issue and that the Waqf Act was a necessary step to ensure that the Waqf properties were managed in a transparent and accountable manner.
As the debate continued, the opposition parties refused to back down, demanding that the government withdraw the Waqf Act and allow a discussion on the bill. The Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather, finally adjourned the House for 30 minutes to calm down the situation.
The ruckus inside the J&K Assembly is a reflection of the deep divisions within the state over the Waqf Act. The opposition parties are determined to continue their fight against the bill, while the government is adamant that it will go ahead with the legislation. The situation is likely to continue to remain tense in the coming days, with the opposition parties vowing to continue their protests and the government refusing to back down.
