J&K assembly adjourned for day amid ruckus over Waqf Act
This is the first time that the assembly has had to be adjourned during the ongoing budget session that began in Jammu on March 3.
With no let-up in the ruckus over the Waqf (Amendment) Act by members of the ruling National Conference and its allies, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather adjourned the Jammu and Kashmir assembly proceedings for Monday without taking up even a single item listed in the business for the day.
Rather was forced to adjourn the assembly for 15 minutes and then 20 minutes in the morning after members of the treasury benches protested near the well of the House, demanding a discussion on the Waqf Act.
The National Conference and Congress MLAs were adamant on a debate, which was not allowed by the Speaker.
After the House reassembled at 1.15pm, members of the treasury and opposition benches again exchanged barbs and raised religious slogans. While members of the treasury benches shouted “Nara-e-Takbeer Allah hu Akbar”, BJP MLAs raised “Jai Shri Ram” and “Vande Mataram” slogans.
Amid the pandemonium, the Speaker adjourned the house for the day at 1.24pm.
This was the first time that the assembly had to be adjourned during the ongoing budget session that began in Jammu on March 3.
Rather tries to reason, but in vain
Earlier on Monday, members of the National Conference joined by their allies demanded the rollback of the Waqf (Amendment) Act passed by Parliament last week.
As soon as House assembled, NC MLA Tanvir Sadiq, while citing Article 356, sought the attention of the Speaker. “Around 10 to 12 members have moved an adjournment motion to discuss the Waqf (Amendment) Act because it is directly associated with us being a Muslim-majority region,” he said.
He was soon joined by other members from the treasury benches.
However, Rather urged the members of the NC and allies to go back to their seats as they had gathered near the well.
The ruling party members indulged in sloganeering and demanded that the “black law” must be rolled back
At this stage, the Speaker said: “How can I take back the law? It is not in my domain. Further, the matter has been challenged in the Supreme Court and once the matter is sub judice in any court in the country, it cannot be taken up in the House,” he said, citing rule 57 (7) of the business rules of the House.
The Speaker’s reasoning and repeated requests failed to yield the desired result and the ruckus continued. Amid slogans like “BJP ki tanashahi nahi chalegi”, members of the NC and their allies, some of who stood on their tables, tore papers and flung them towards the Chair.
MLAs firm on discussion
BJP members also tried to counter the NC and their allies. Led by leader of opposition Sunil Sharma, the members shouted, “NC-Congress down-down”.
NC member Nazir Ahmed Gurezi said, “This is a black law against Islam, against our religion. It’s an attack on us, we want a discussion. Allow it, otherwise we will not allow the House to function.”
Jammu and Kashmir is the only Muslim-majority region in the country.
Sadiq reminded the Speaker how legislative assemblies in states like Rajasthan and West Bengal had taken up the goods and services tax (GST) bill when it was passed.
Three bills passed by assembly get LG’s nod
Jammu and Kashmir assembly secretary Manoj Kumar Pandit on Monday informed the House that three bills passed by it had got lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha’s assent on March 25.
The bills are the Jammu and Kashmir Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation Bill, 2025 and the Jammu and Kashmir Appropriation Bill, 2025.
