The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed intense chaos on Tuesday after Opposition parties demanded an urgent discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025, recently passed by Parliament. Tensions peaked when PDP MLA Waheed Para was marshalled out of the Assembly for vociferously protesting the Speaker’s refusal to allow debate on the matter.
The protest erupted after a group of around 20 MLAs, including members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), moved an adjournment motion to discuss the Act. However, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather rejected the motion, citing Rule 58, which prohibits legislative discussions on matters currently under judicial consideration. Multiple petitions against the Act have already been filed in the Supreme Court by political parties including the AIMIM and Congress.
Opposition Slams Government’s Silence
Speaking outside the Assembly, PDP leader Waheed Para called the Speaker’s decision “unfortunate” and emphasized the symbolic and emotional significance of the issue, especially in a Muslim-majority region like Jammu and Kashmir.
“If there is a Muslim CM in all of India, it is in Jammu and Kashmir. The country’s 24 crore Muslims are watching this,” Para stated.
“If out of 60 MLAs, they cannot support a resolution against the Waqf Act, history will judge us.”
Para criticized the Act for allegedly threatening the integrity of Muslim religious sites, including cemeteries, mosques, and dargahs, and accused J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of undermining Muslim sentiments by “rolling out a red carpet” for Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, who had introduced the bill.
“This Act has been passed against the religious beliefs and sentiments of Muslims. Our identity is under threat, and yet our Chief Minister is welcoming the very minister responsible,” he said.
“Don’t Treat Dargahs Like Real Estate”
Para further urged the government and public to respect religious sites as spiritual and cultural identities, not as real estate.
“Whether it is Jama Masjid or a dargah, these are not just properties—they are our emotions, our identity. Turning this into a property matter will only increase tensions,” he warned.
More Opposition Voices Rise
Adding to the unrest, Awami Ittehad Party MLA Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh, brother of Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid, also raised slogans inside the Assembly. In visuals circulated from the Assembly floor, Sheikh can be seen shouting “mazhab ka mamla hai” (it’s a religious matter) while the Speaker tried to restore order and urged MLAs to sit down.
Despite repeated demands from Opposition leaders, the Speaker remained firm, stating that no resolution or discussion on the Waqf Act could proceed under existing procedural rules. The session was temporarily adjourned for 30 minutes amid the uproar.
Broader Backlash Against Waqf Act
The Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025 has been at the center of controversy nationwide. Critics argue it undermines autonomy over religious endowments and increases state interference in Muslim religious affairs. The Act is currently being challenged in the Supreme Court, with prominent parties like Congress, AIMIM, and several religious bodies demanding a rollback.
As political tensions deepen over the Act, all eyes are on the J&K government, which is under increasing pressure from its own MLAs and the public to take a stand.