Srinagar, Apr 2 (UNI) On the day Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju introduced the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, major political parties in Kashmir condemned it as an attack on Muslim rights and an attempt to erode the autonomy of the Waqf Board.
Former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti alleged the proposed Bill is part of a conspiracy to render Muslims helpless.
She accused the BJP-led government of pursuing policies against the Muslim community, citing instances of lynching, mosque demolitions, and encroachments on Muslim graveyards.
Mufti said that she has no hope from the BJP government and urged the Hindu majority should come forward and take a stand against such injustices.
“This country must be governed by the Constitution, not by the BJP’s agenda. If the Hindu majority does not want our country to become like Myanmar or the same fate as the Kashmiri Pandits—an episode we are still ashamed of and are constantly taunted for—then the people of this nation must not remain silent spectators. If this indifference continues, nothing can prevent the country from disintegrating. The BJP’s policies are tearing the nation apart,” Mufti told reporters in Srinagar.
National Conference law maker Hasnain Masoodi called the bill a step toward disempowering Muslims.
He argued that the proposed amendments disregard the sanctity and purpose of Waqf properties.
"This bill is a clear violation of the rights of Muslims. It dilutes the control of the Waqf Board, which is unacceptable," Masoodi asserted.
Peoples Conference President and MLA from Handwara Sajad Lone also voiced strong opposition to the proposed amendment to Waqf laws, terming it an attack on the religious rights of Muslims.
Taking to X, Lone remarked, "Waqf by definition is the custodian of properties which are collectively owned by Muslims. It is an Islamic concept."
He said the move by Parliament amounts to a direct assault on the religious autonomy of Muslims.
"The proposed amendment by Parliament is a blatant interference in our faith aimed at divesting rightful custodians of their authority," he asserted, calling it "yet another right-wing trespass."
Meanwhile, J&K Waqf Board Chairperson and BJP leader Darakhshan Andrabi defended the amendments, stating that the bill aimed to ensure the Waqf Board’s properties are used for the welfare of the Muslim community, particularly to address issues of poverty and homelessness.
She questioned the opposition’s criticism, emphasizing that the Bill focuses on development rather than targeting religious institutions.
"Why are Muslims poor and homeless if the Waqf Board has so much land? The amendments aim to ensure that these properties are used for the community’s benefit," Andrabi said, adding the Bill is for development.
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