Tumultuous Scenes in J&K Assembly Over Controversial Waqf Amendment Act

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed chaos as demands to discuss the Waqf Amendment Act were denied, leading to heated exchanges and an adjournment. The National Conference and PDP opposed the Act, with PDP's resolution to repeal it not voted on. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather faced criticism for halting the debate.

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly plunged into disorder for the second consecutive day amid fervent demands to deliberate on the Waqf Amendment Act, recently ratified by Parliament. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather adjourned proceedings until 1 PM following vociferous calls mainly from the ruling National Conference and the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) to revisit the Act.

The uproar began when a National Conference MLA dramatically tore the Waqf Bill in protest earlier this week, a display followed today by their PDP counterparts led by MLA Waheed Para, who brandished copies of their resolution in the House Well before being escorted out. The fracas intensified as NC members clashed with J&K People's Conference leader Sajad Lone over the Speaker's role in suppressing discussions.

Sajad Lone lambasted the National Conference's stance, suggesting that the party's demand for a discussion was merely performative given that it was their Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather, who curtailed debate under Rule 58. He urged the NC to replace Rather if genuine discussions on the Waqf Act were desired, criticizing the party's refusal to entertain a resolution pivotal for the region's Muslim-majority demography.

(With inputs from agencies.)