Srinagar: Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday accused the National Conference government of yielding to the BJP’s “anti-Muslim” agenda, after an adjournment motion on the Waqf Amendment Act was rejected in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.
Lashing out at Omar Abdullah, she said Muslims in the country expected that a Muslim chief minister in the only Muslim-majority state “would raise his voice or at least say that they will not implement this law in J&K”.
“It’s profoundly disappointing that the Speaker J-K Assembly has rejected the motion on the Waqf Bill,” she said in a post on X.
The former chief minister of the erstwhile state of J&K said the NC could learn from the Tamil Nadu government which has “firmly opposed” the Waqf Bill.
“Despite securing a strong mandate, the government appears to have completely yielded to the BJP’s anti-Muslim agenda, cynically attempting to appease both sides,” Mehbboba Mufti said in her post.
“In J-K, the only Muslim-majority region, it’s alarming that a supposedly people-centric government lacks the courage even to debate this critical issue,” she added.
Speaking to reporters here, the PDP president said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has failed to come up to the expectations of the Muslims of the country.
“Muslims across the country today expected that a Muslim chief minister, having 50 seats, in the only Muslim majority state, would raise his voice or at least say that they will not implement this law in J&K. But, nothing like that happened. I feel ashamed today,” she said.
Mufti said the Muslims in the country are “helpless and in minority, but, J&K is a Muslim majority and the most secular state”.
“People had expectations from the leadership here, from the government that it would vocally oppose the bill, take the matter to the Supreme Court or bring a resolution in the Assembly.
“(PDP MLA from Pulwama) (Waheed) Para had brought a resolution, we had expected that the CM would remain in the Assembly.
“Tulip garden will remain there for a month. Where is it going? We thought he would say in the Assembly that J&K does not accept the Bill,” she said, referring to the CM and his father Farooq Abdullah meeting Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju at the Tulip Garden here.
Mufti said NC president Farooq Abdullah is one of the tallest politicians in the country and he should have brought together the leadership of the entire country over the issue of the Waqf Bill.
“Had he (Farooq Abdullah) talked to us, we would also have gone to Delhi, and protested at Jantar Mantar, and opposed it.
“Rather than doing that, Sher-e-Kashmir’s (NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah) son and grandson met with the minister, who kept a sword on the necks of the Muslims, at the Tulip Garden,” she added.
The PDP president said it would have “pained the Muslims of the entire country today when they would have seen Sher-e-Kashmir’s son and grandson walking hand in hand with the minister who brought the black law in the shape of the Waqf Bill”.
She said it was “unfortunate” that the CM “disregarded” the ongoing session of the Assembly and went to “please” the Union minister.
“Even Farooq Abdullah went there and rubbed salt on the wounds of the Muslims. I think people who voted for them (NC) must be sorry now,” she said.
On J&K Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather rejecting the motion on the Waqf Amendment Bill on the grounds that the matter was sub-judice, the PDP chief retorted, “How is this sub-judice when the Supreme Court has not taken cognisance and notice of this case?
“There should have been no problem in discussing the resolution brought by Para,” she said.
She said the NC did not stand up for the people of J&K and has “disrespected” them.
“Unsolicited advice should not be given, but today, I am giving advice to the people of NC and Omar Abdullah. The BJP might have many shortcomings, but they respect those who respect themselves and stand for their people. You (Abdullah) not only did not stand for your people but have disrespected them,” she added.
Mirwaiz slams J&K Speaker for rejecting adjournment motion on Waqf issue
Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Monday criticised the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker for rejecting the adjournment motion on the Waqf issue.
“It is ridiculous and condemnable that Tamil Nadu which only has 6% Muslim population, passes a strong anti-Wakf resolution in its assembly, while the Muslim majority J&K assembly speaker is struggling and refusing, by hiding behind technicalities, to discuss this deeply concerning issue for the Muslims of the state,” he said on X.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather rejected the adjournment motion, saying the matter was in court.
Mirwaiz said a huge mandate was given to the National Conference in the Assembly elections for safeguarding the interests of the people.
“The speaker would know that the strong peoples mandate given to his party was precisely for the reason that the party had promised to safeguard the interests of the people being trampled upon since August 2019 and take a stand for them in critical matters. Why is he capitulating so meekly?” he asked.
