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Srinagar, April 7: Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Molvi Umar Farooq on Monday criticised the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker for refusing to allow a discussion on the Wakf (Amendment) Bill, calling the move “ridiculous and condemnable.”
In a post on X, Mirwaiz wrote,
It is ridiculous and condemnable that Tamil Nadu, which only has 6% Muslim population, passes a strong anti-Wakf resolution in its assembly, while the Muslim-majority J&K Assembly Speaker is struggling and refusing, by hiding behind technicalities, to discuss this deeply concerning issue for the Muslims of the state.
He said the ruling party in Jammu and Kashmir was handed a strong mandate to defend the rights of the people after the constitutional changes of August 2019. “The Speaker would know that the strong people’s mandate given to his party was precisely for the reason that the party had promised to safeguard the interests of the people being trampled upon since August 2019 and take a stand for them in critical matters. Why is he capitulating so meekly?” Mirwaiz asked.
The remarks came hours after NC MLA Tanvir Sadiq, supported by other legislators from National Conference, Congress and PDP, demanded a discussion in the Assembly on the Wakf (Amendment) Bill-2025, recently passed by Parliament.
Sadiq argued that if Centre’s GST law could be debated in the J&K Assembly, the Wakf Bill—affecting Muslim endowments—must be taken up too.
However, the Speaker rejected the request, stating that the matter is sub-judice as it is currently being challenged in the Supreme Court. Citing sub-rule (7) of Rule 58 of the Assembly’s rules of procedure, he disallowed the adjournment motion moved by the opposition.
The decision triggered uproar in the House. Opposition legislators raised slogans such as “Wakf Bill Na Manzoor” (Wakf Bill is unacceptable) and tried to storm the well of the House. They were stopped by marshals, prompting the Speaker to adjourn the House for 15 minutes—the first adjournment of the ongoing budget session.
In contrast, the Tamil Nadu Assembly recently passed a resolution opposing the Wakf Bill, calling it an unconstitutional encroachment on state powers and minority rights. The resolution has been widely welcomed by Muslim leaders across India—making the silence in J&K’s Muslim-majority House more glaring.—(NewsEye)
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