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 opposition parties continued to demand a discussion on the Waqf Act. The assembly was adjourned for 30 minutes on Tuesday after the Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather, denied a motion moved by National Conference MLAs to adjourn Question Hour to discuss the Waqf Act. This development comes a day after the assembly was adjourned on Monday, following a similar denial of the motion.
The opposition parties, including the National Conference, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have been demanding a discussion on the Waqf Act, which they claim is an attempt to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Act, 1960. The opposition parties are opposed to the amendments, which they claim will lead to the takeover of Waqf properties by the central government.
The ruckus began when National Conference MLA, Muhammad Akbar Lone, moved a motion to adjourn Question Hour to discuss the Waqf Act. However, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather denied the motion, leading to protests from the opposition benches. The opposition parties shouted slogans and waved papers, demanding a discussion on the issue.
The Speaker’s decision to deny the motion was met with strong resistance from the opposition parties, who claimed that the government was trying to suppress the truth. “The government is trying to take away the rights of the Waqf properties and hand them over to the central government,” said National Conference MLA, Muhammad Akbar Lone. “We will not let this happen without a fight.”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) MLA, Altaf Bukhari, also slammed the government, saying that the Waqf Act amendments were a clear attempt to undermine the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir. “The government is trying to take away our autonomy and hand it over to the central government,” he said. “We will not let this happen without a fight.”
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA, Ravinder Raina, also joined the chorus, saying that the opposition parties were right in demanding a discussion on the Waqf Act. “The government is trying to hide the truth from the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said. “We demand a discussion on the Waqf Act and we will not rest till we get justice.”
The government, however, has maintained that the amendments to the Waqf Act are necessary to protect the interests of the Waqf properties. “The amendments are necessary to protect the Waqf properties and ensure their development,” said a government spokesperson. “We will not be swayed by the opposition’s propaganda and will continue to work for the development of Jammu and Kashmir.”
The standoff between the government and the opposition parties is likely to continue, with the opposition parties vowing to fight for their rights. The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is scheduled to meet again on Wednesday, and it remains to be seen whether the government will budge on its stance.
In the meantime, the people of Jammu and Kashmir are watching the developments with great interest. The Waqf Act amendments have sparked widespread protests and demonstrations across the state, with people demanding that the government should not tamper with the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir.
As the standoff continues, it is clear that the Waqf Act amendments will be a major issue in the coming days. The government and the opposition parties will have to find a way to resolve the issue peacefully, lest it sparks further unrest in the state.
News Source: https://x.com/PTI_News/status/1909466888100274623
