Jammu and Kashmir National Conference MLAs, who are part of the ruling alliance in the union territory, criticised the Waqf Amendment Act on Tuesday, claiming that the rights of Muslims are being “taken away every day.”
“The MLAs represent more than 70 lakh people. They want there should be a discussion in the House for Muslims too…Our rights are being taken away every day, from 5th August (2019) till date. This was confined to Jammu and Kashmir until now. But now, this is being extended to Muslims across the country. To come back to power in 2029, the BJP Government brought the Waqf Bill,” NC MLA Salman Sagar said.
Following chaos in the Assembly, the House was adjourned for half an hour while certain PDP MLAs, including Waheed Para, were marshalled out.
Sagar, along with other party MLAs Tanvir Sadiq and Altaf Kaloo, had submitted an adjournment motion to discuss the Waqf Act, protesting against the Speaker’s refusal to list the matter.
Earlier today, chaos erupted in the Assembly as opposition parties, and certain ruling party MLAs demanded a discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, however the Assembly Speaker had denied it, citing that the House cannot discuss a bill which is under consideration in court.
This is the second consecutive day that chaos has erupted over the religious board’s amendments. Earlier, opposition MLAs had torn the bill in the assembly, claiming that the Act was a “direct assault on Muslims.”
Multiple parties, including Congress leaders and AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi, have filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the implementation and validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
NC MLA Altaf Kaloo moved an adjournment motion and sought time to speak in the House, but the Speaker did not respond. DP MLA Waheed Para and other MLAs of the party reached the Well of the House, showing some papers. Following this, they were marshalled out. NC leaders, who had also reached the Well of the House, entered into an argument with J&K People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone.
PDP had submitted a fresh resolution in the House urging the Central Government to repeal the Waqf Amendment Act.
Earlier, JK People’s Conference Chief Sajad Lone suggested to the ruling alliance that they change the speaker they had appointed to allow discussions on the Waqf Amendment Act, claiming that NC’s protests “reeks of theatre.”
“Speaker sir has the pleasure of NC, He is the speaker of the National Conference. He was chosen by the party, if the party feels that he is obstructing, then bring no confidence (motion) change him and bring a new speaker, otherwise it reeks of theatre. People will taking us intro confidence,” Sajad Lone told reporters outside the Assembly.
Earlier, PDP MLA Waheed Para also accused the NC-led government of collaborating with the BJP while openly protesting against the party’s policies.
“When we submitted the resolution today, we were marshalled out. They are completely helping the BJP and working on their agenda. They are making noise and wasting the Assembly’s time but pedalling the agenda of the BJP. The BJP is silent, it is happy and watching the drama. The Speaker is saying that it is NC’s Government, and the Speaker says that a resolution cannot be brought over this. Why not?” Para said.
The National Conference have launched protests against the newly passed act out on the streets too. (ANI)
