DH NEWS SERVICE
jammu, Apr 7
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly descended into chaos with religious and jingoistic sloganeering on Monday after the speaker rejected an adjournment motion, moved by the National Conference to discuss the Waqf (Amendment) Act, saying the matter was sub judice.
The House was adjourned twice amid pandemonium to reconvene and witness chaos again. The third time, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather adjourned the House for the day.
A ruckus erupted in the House after Rather refused the motion, moved by NC’s Nazir Gurezi and Tanvir Sadiq, seeking adjournment of the question hour to discuss the Waqf law.
A notice for the motion was given to the speaker by nine members from across the NC, Congress, and Independents.
Leader of the House, BJP’s Sunil Sharma, mounted a vociferous opposition to the motion, triggering an uproar.
“It is a religious matter concerning our faith. There is no issue more pressing than this. Will you, Speaker, adjourn the house to address this critical issue?” Sadiq said.
NC’s Kaiser Jamshed Lone said that it motion pertained to religious matters and a half-hour discussion should be scheduled.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary demanded that members be allowed to express their views on the issue. “If they wish to express their views, they should be allowed to speak,” Choudhary said.
The Speaker instructed members to return to their seats.
However, the confrontation ratcheted up when the parties took to hurling sallies at each other. NC and Congress members raised shouts of “BJP Haay Haay” and “Bill Wapis Karo”.
The BJP members responded by shouting “Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” which was then countered by NC, Congress, and PDP members chanting “Allah hu Akbar.”
The BJP members also shouted slogans like “Vande Mataram” and “Jaha hua balidaan Mukherjee, wo Kashmir hamara hai.”
NC, Congress, and PDP members matched it with loud chants of “Nara-e Takbeer.”
As chaos continued, NC members Salman Sagar and Aijaz Jan tore up the question papers and threw them in the air.
Intervening, the Speaker referred to rule 58, sub-section 7, stating that issues pending in the court cannot be discussed in the House. “The bill is currently sub judice in the Supreme Court. I have received writ petitions. It cannot be debated here,” he said.
He also stressed that the constitutionality of the Bill is a matter for the court to decide.
PDP member Wahid Para pointed out the religious significance of the matter.
“It is a crucial religious matter. The Tamil Nadu Assembly has passed a resolution on it. The house should act accordingly,” he said.
The Speaker said the Tamil Nadu Assembly’s resolution predated the court proceedings. “It is sub judice. I will not allow an adjournment,” he asserted.
During the ruckus, NC member Majid Larmi’s black achkan was torn. Party members held up pieces of the torn dress as symbols of protest against the Bill.
“Bill wapis lo, kanoon ko khatam karo,” they shouted, while BJP members countered them with “dramebazi ko bandh karo.”
Gurezi said, “This is a religious issue, and we are prepared to sacrifice anything for our faith. If you do not allow us to discuss it, we will not allow the House to function.”
There was a bit of jostling between BJP members Satesh Sharma, Vikram Randhawa, Arvind Gupta, and Congress MLA Irfan Hafeez Lone. A full-on confrontation was however prevented by the watch and ward staff.
Speaker adjourned the House for the day
Sensing the situation, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day. NC, Congress, and CPIM members staged a protest at the entrance of the Assembly House.
“BJP resorted to manhandling in the House. They raised religious slogans. We reminded them that this is a wrestling ring, but we are here to raise constitutional issues,” NC member Altaf Kaloo told reporters.
“We should be allowed to speak. In the Tamil Nadu Assembly, a resolution was passed even though Muslims constitute only 6 per cent. Why can’t there be discussions in this Muslim-majority region?” he asked.
CPI-M member M Y Tarigami said, “We are not here to create divisions between Jammu and Kashmir regions. We are united as legislators — not Hindus and Muslims. We are protesting against the Waqf Bill.”
He also urged the people to unite against the BJP’s “divisive” politics.
“This Bill threatens secularism. I urge the people of Jammu to support us. BJP may try to give it a communal colour, but we must stand united. We will fight against it together in the House,” he said.
President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was passed by Parliament earlier this week after heated debates in both Houses.
