Uproar in J&K Assembly over Waqf Amendment Bill, PDP accuses Omar govt of aiding NDA

The National Conference (NC) led alliance government had earlier said that it will move resolution against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Monday witnessed uproar over Waqf (Amendment) Act.

The ruling National Conference legislators demanded a discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Act, causing a ruckus in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. The protest escalated as NC MLAs Hilal Lone and Salman Sagar tore copies of the Waqf Act. MLA Abdul Majeed Larmi then threw his jacket on the floor in protest.

The National Conference (NC)-led alliance government had earlier said that it will move resolution against the Bill.

VIDEO | Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnesses uproarious scenes over Waqf (Amendment) Bill.The National Conference (NC) led alliance government had earlier said that it will move resolution against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.#JKAssembly#WaqfAmendmentBill(Full video pic.twitter.com/h0acwxiZEr

Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 7, 2025

According to reports,  the Speaker disallowed Peoples Conference president Sajjad Lone's resolutions on Article 370 and Public Safety Act. After J&K was downgraded to a Union Territory, the Reorganisation Act gave powers to the Speaker to frame the rules that govern the proceedings of the House.

The state Assembly was also adjourned for 15 minutes by Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather over his refusal to adjourn the question hour to discuss the Waqf (Amendment) Act.

This is the first time the house has been adjourned during the Budget session. As the House assembled for the day, National Conference members, led by Nazir Gurezi and Tanvir Sadiq, moved a motion for the adjournment of the question hour to discuss the Waqf law, for which nine members, belonging to the NC, Congress, and a few Independent members, had given notice to the Speaker.

NC MLA Tanvir Sadiq said, “It is our democratic right to raise this issue. Jammu and Kashmir is a Muslim-majority state, and it is the responsibility of the MLAs to discuss such matters. We have moved an adjournment motion, which has been signed by 10-11 MLAs. I have also submitted a resolution and hope the Speaker will allow time for us to debate this issue.”

Meanwhile, PDP leader Waheed Parra accused the J&K government of aiding the NDA government over the Waqf Bill, calling it a betrayal of the state's mandate. “I believe it is a betrayal of the mandate. J&K is the only Muslim-majority state, and if the Assembly and the state fail to pass a resolution against the Waqf Bill, it reflects the resentment of every Muslim. Tamil Nadu has moved the resolution, and J&K should have been the first to bring it suo motu,” Waheed Parra told the Hindustan Times.

The Bill was passed by Rajya Sabha last week after a marathon debate, involving heated exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches. The Upper House debated the bill for nearly 14 hours and then cleared it with 128 votes in favour and 95 against.

The legislation was earlier cleared by the Lok Sabha after nearly 12 hours debate, with 288 votes in favour and 232 against.

With this, both the Houses have cleared the decks for amendments in the Waqf Bill of 1995 and repealing the Mussalman Wakf Act of 1923.

President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday gave her assent to the the Bill.