Ruckus inside J&K Assembly continues for second day over Waqf Act
The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed a high drama for the second consecutive day as opposition parties continued to demand a discussion on the Waqf Act, leading to the adjournment of the Assembly for 30 minutes. The ruckus began on Monday when National Conference MLAs moved a motion to adjourn the Question Hour to discuss the Waqf Act, but Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather denied the motion, leading to the adjournment of the Assembly.
On Tuesday, the opposition parties, including the National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Congress, continued to press for a discussion on the Waqf Act, which has been a contentious issue in the state. The Waqf Act, which was passed in 2013, aims to regulate and manage the Waqf properties in the state, but the opposition parties have been demanding its repeal, claiming that it is biased and discriminates against the majority community.
The opposition parties accused the government of not taking their concerns seriously and of trying to bulldoze the Waqf Act through the Assembly without a proper discussion. “We have been demanding a discussion on the Waqf Act for long, but the government is not willing to listen to our concerns,” said National Conference MLA, Ali Muhammad Sagar. “We will not allow the government to pass the Waqf Act without a proper discussion and scrutiny.”
The PDP MLA, Abdul Haq Khan, also slammed the government for not taking the opposition parties seriously. “The government is trying to suppress the voices of the opposition parties and is not willing to listen to our concerns,” he said. “We will continue to demand a discussion on the Waqf Act and will not let the government pass it without a proper scrutiny.”
The government, however, defended the Waqf Act, saying that it was necessary to regulate and manage the Waqf properties in the state. “The Waqf Act is a necessary legislation to regulate and manage the Waqf properties in the state,” said Minister for Revenue, Abdul Rehman Veeri. “We will not repeal the Waqf Act and will continue to implement it in the interest of the state.”
The Waqf Act has been a contentious issue in the state for long, with both the opposition parties and the government having different views on its implementation. The opposition parties have been demanding its repeal, claiming that it is biased and discriminates against the majority community, while the government has been defending the Act, saying that it is necessary to regulate and manage the Waqf properties in the state.
The ruckus inside the Assembly continued for the second consecutive day, with the opposition parties refusing to budge from their demands. The Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather, tried to calm the situation, but the opposition parties remained adamant. “We will not allow the government to pass the Waqf Act without a proper discussion and scrutiny,” said National Conference MLA, Ali Muhammad Sagar. “We will continue to protest and will not let the government suppress our voices.”
The Assembly was eventually adjourned for 30 minutes, with the Speaker promising to consider the opposition parties’ demands. “I understand the concerns of the opposition parties and will consider their demands,” said Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather. “We will try to find a solution to the issue and will not let the Assembly become dysfunctional.”
The ruckus inside the Assembly is likely to continue for some time, with both the opposition parties and the government refusing to budge from their demands. The Waqf Act has become a major issue in the state, with both sides having different views on its implementation. The government will have to find a solution to the issue soon, otherwise, the Assembly may become dysfunctional, leading to a constitutional crisis in the state.
