Srinagar: Prominent political and religious leaders on Sunday strongly criticized the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker for refusing to allow a discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, calling it a betrayal of the people’s mandate and a sign of submission to the BJP’s agenda.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, while reacting to the Speaker’s decision, as per news agency JKNS wrote on X, it is “ridiculous and condemnable” that Tamil Nadu—with only 6% Muslim population—could pass a strong anti-Waqf resolution in its assembly, while the Muslim-majority J&K Assembly Speaker is “struggling and refusing, by hiding behind technicalities,” to take up a deeply concerning issue for Muslims of the region.
He added, “The Speaker knows that the strong mandate given to his party was based on the promise of protecting people’s interests, especially since August 2019. Why is he capitulating so meekly?”
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti wrote on X, “It’s profoundly disappointing that the Speaker has rejected the motion on the Waqf Bill. Despite securing a strong mandate, the government seems to have completely yielded to the BJP’s anti-Muslim agenda while trying to cynically appease both sides.”
She added that the National Conference (NC) should learn from Tamil Nadu’s government, which showed courage by opposing the bill.
People’s Conference Chairman Sajad Lone also slammed the government, wrote on X, “The least Muslims of India deserved was that in J&K, the only Muslim-majority province in the country, the CM should have stayed away from Mr. Kiren Rijiju, who presented the Waqf Bill. Instead, he tags along with Farooq Sahib. What a shame.”
Iltija Mufti and daughter of Mehbooba Mufti, wrote on X and said, “What’s left to say when the CM of India’s only Muslim-majority state gives a red carpet welcome to the BJP minister who introduced the Waqf Bill? It stands in stark contrast to Tamil Nadu’s CM, who showed spine by opposing the bill.” (JKNS)
