Srinagar- The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly descended into chaos on Monday following the Speaker’s refusal to accept an adjournment motion on the Waqf (Amendment) Act. Religious and jingoistic slogans echoed through the House, which was eventually adjourned for the day after multiple disruptions.
NC’s Nazir Gurezi and Tanvir Sadiq had moved the motion, seeking to suspend the Question Hour to discuss the controversial Act. However, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather declined, citing that the matter was sub judice.
The request for adjournment was formally submitted by nine members from the NC, Congress, and Independents.
“This concerns our faith. There is no matter more urgent than this,” said Tanvir Sadiq during the uproar. NC’s Kaiser Jamshed Lone also demanded a half-hour discussion on the issue.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary supported the demand for open expression, stating, “If members want to speak, they should be allowed to.”
As the Speaker instructed legislators to return to their seats, tempers flared. NC and Congress members raised slogans like “BJP haay haay” and “Bill wapis karo.” BJP members responded with chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” “Vande Mataram,” and “Jahan hua balidan Mukherjee, woh Kashmir hamara hai.” Counter-slogans of “Allah hu Akbar” and “Nara-e-Takbeer” followed from the NC, Congress, and PDP benches.
In the heat of the moment, NC legislators Salman Sagar and Aijaz Jan tore question papers and flung them into the air.
Amid the chaos, Speaker Rather invoked Rule 58, sub-section 7, stating that issues currently under judicial consideration cannot be discussed in the Assembly. “The Bill is sub judice before the Supreme Court. I have received writ petitions related to it. We cannot debate it here,” he said, adding that the constitutional validity of the Bill lies within the court’s domain.
PDP’s Wahid Para argued that the matter’s religious sensitivity warranted Assembly attention. “It is a significant issue. Even the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution on it. We should do the same,” he urged.
In response, the Speaker clarified that Tamil Nadu’s resolution predated the case’s judicial proceedings. “It is now under court consideration. I cannot allow an adjournment,” he reiterated.
The situation escalated further when NC member Majid Larmi’s black achkan was torn during the melee. Party members raised the torn garment in protest while shouting, “Bill wapis lo, kanoon ko khatam karo,” to which BJP legislators countered with, “Dramabazi ko bandh karo.”
Gurezi maintained that the issue is religious at its core. “We are ready to sacrifice anything for our faith. If we are not allowed to speak, we will not let the House function,” he said.
Scuffles nearly broke out between BJP members Satesh Sharma, Vikram Randhawa, Arvind Gupta, and Congress MLA Irfan Hafeez Lone, but the Assembly’s security staff intervened to prevent a physical confrontation.
Sensing the deteriorating atmosphere, the Speaker finally adjourned the House for the day.
Outside the Assembly gates, NC, Congress, and CPI(M) members staged a protest.
“BJP indulged in manhandling and religious sloganeering. We reminded them this is not a wrestling arena but a constitutional space,” said NC’s Altaf Kaloo.
He questioned why a similar resolution could not be passed in a Muslim-majority region like Jammu and Kashmir, when Tamil Nadu — with just 6% Muslim population — had done so.
CPI(M)’s M Y Tarigami condemned attempts to communalise the issue. “We are here as legislators, not as Hindus or Muslims. We are protesting against the Waqf Bill. This Bill undermines secularism,” he said.
He also urged the people to unite against the BJP’s “divisive” politics.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 — recently passed by Parliament after intense debates — received presidential assent from Droupadi Murmu on Saturday.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
