Jammu, April 9, 2025 – The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly ground to a halt on Tuesday, adjourned till 1 PM after a fiery uproar over the Waqf (Amendment) Act derailed proceedings for the second straight day. National Conference (NC) MLAs, backed by Congress and PDP, clashed with BJP members, turning the House into a shouting match of torn papers, raised fists, and raw emotion.
It started at 10:30 AM when NC’s Salman Sagar and Tanvir Sadiq demanded a debate on the Act, passed by Parliament last week and now challenged in the Supreme Court. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather shut it down, citing Rule 58—it’s sub judice, no discussion allowed. That lit the fuse. NC and allies stormed the well, chanting “Kala Kanoon wapis lo” (Withdraw the black law), while BJP’s Sunil Sharma and crew hit back with “Dramebazi bandh karo” (Stop the drama). Papers flew, an NC MLA’s coat ripped, and marshals hauled out PDP’s Waheed Parra after he pushed for a repeal resolution.
The stakes? The Waqf Act tweaks—adding non-Muslim members and DC oversight—strike a nerve in this Muslim-majority region. “It’s our faith, not just property,” Parra told reporters outside, per The Hindu. NC’s Gurezi vowed, “We’ll sacrifice anything to stop this.” Even Deputy CM Surinder Choudhary chimed in, “It concerns us all,” but Rather held firm: “Parliament’s done it; I can’t undo it.”
BJP’s Sham Lal Sharma taunted the treasury benches to oust the Speaker if they dared, while Sajad Lone accused NC of theatrics. Amid the chaos, no business—budget or otherwise—moved an inch. The House, back after a 12-day break, has now lost two days to this standoff, with Tuesday’s adjournments hitting 30 minutes, then till 1 PM.
This isn’t new—J&K’s Assembly has seen Article 370 rows erupt similarly (ANI, Nov 2024). But the Waqf clash cuts deeper, exposing a rift over identity and autonomy. Locals on X call it a “betrayal of mandate,” while others see BJP flexing muscle. Data backs the tension: 60 of 90 MLAs are Muslim, yet the voice feels stifled.
