DH NEWS SERVICE
Srinagar, Apr 7
Peoples’ Conference chief Sajad Lone Monday accused the National Conference of indulging in theatrics in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly over the Waqf Amendment Act and said the ruling party should have brought a resolution in the House against the new law.
The Handwara MLA also slammed Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for meeting Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijju, who presented the (Waqf) bill in Parliament, at Tulip Garden here.
“If NC’s song and dance performance in the assembly is not theatre, why NC is not bringing a no-confidence motion against its own speaker for disallowing their adjournment motion. And is Waqf bill really sub-judice.
“The petition against Waqf bill has not been admitted yet. So how can it be sub- judice?” Lone said in a post on X.
Earlier in the day, J&K Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather rejected an adjournment motion on the Waqf Amendment Act on the grounds that the matter was sub-judice.
The Peoples’ Conference chief said an adjournment motion is a censure motion against government, and is brought to discuss the failures of government.
“You cannot bring adjournment motion on Waqf Bill. Adjournment means discussion and reply by Minister in-charge concerned. The only legislative device to condemn the move was resolution. It was the only tool available to us to express our collective disapproval against this law,” he added.
Lone also said three resolutions in the assembly seeking restoration of statehood lapsed on Monday.
“This is similar situation when resolution brought on (Parliament attack convict) Afzal Guru lapsed in 2013 when NC speaker adjourned House after Congress, then ally of NC-led government, created pandemonium out of blue.
“So, was this song dance about Waqf or about stalling and delaying statehood resolutions? By all accounts points things don’t add up,” he said.
Referring to Assembly Speaker Rather, Lone said the speaker who disallowed the adjournment motion belongs to NC and added that the members who brought in the adjournment motion were also from NC.
“Dr Farooq sahib and CM sahib, both NC, went on a morning walk with Kiren Rijju sahib who is a Union minister and is the one who presented the (Waqf) bill in the Parliament.
“Fail to understand this judge jury and executioner role of NC,” he added, referring to Omar Abdullah and his father Farooq Abdullah meeting Rijiju at the Tulip Garden here.
The Peoples’ Conference chief said the single Muslim majority province in India “fails” to collectively condemn the Waqf Amendment Act, and also “lapses” three bills on restoration of statehood.
“And in the most audacious snub to Muslims all across the country, the CM of this only Muslim majority province in India is seen in the company of a Union Minister who presented this bill in the Parliament. What a curse??” Lone said in his post.
