Srinagar, Apr 7 (UNI) Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Monday sharply criticised Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather for disallowing a discussion on the controversial Waqf Bill 2025, calling the move a "betrayal" of the public mandate and an alarming sign of "political capitulation".

The Speaker Assembly, disallowed discussion on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 passed by Parliament, stating that the matter is sub judice. The legislators from the treasury benches — including members of the National Conference, Congress, and independents — demanded that the adjournment motion moved by 10 members to discuss the Waqf Amendment Bill be accepted.
Both Mufti and Mirwaiz expressed dismay over the Speaker’s decision to block the debate on the grounds that the matter is sub judice.

Mufti accused the ruling National Conference of yielding to the BJP’s "anti-Muslim agenda" despite having a clear electoral mandate, while Mirwaiz termed the Speaker’s refusal “ridiculous and condemnable,” especially in a Muslim-majority region like Jammu and Kashmir.
"It’s profoundly disappointing that the speaker J&K Assembly has rejected the motion on the Waqf Bill. Despite securing a strong mandate, the government appears to have completely yielded to the BJP’s anti-Muslim agenda, cynically attempting to appease both sides," Mufti said in a post on X.
"The National Conference (NC) could learn from Tamil Nadu’s government, which has firmly opposed the Waqf Bill. In J&K, the only Muslim-majority region, it’s alarming that a supposedly people-centric government lacks the courage even to debate this critical issue," she added.

Kashmir’s chief cleric and Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz termed the explanation by Speaker as an excuse to evade responsibility on an issue of critical importance to the Muslim of J&K.

“It is ridiculous and condemnable that Tamil Nadu which only has 6% Muslim population, passes a strong anti Wakf resolution in it’s assembly, while the Muslim majority J&K assembly speaker is struggling and refusing , by hiding behind technicalities, to discuss this deeply concerting issue for the Muslims of the state,” Mirwaiz said in a post on X.
“The speaker would know that the strong peoples mandate given to his party was precisely for the reason that the party had promised to safeguard the interests of the people being trampled upon since August 2019 and take a stand for them in critical matters . Why is he capitulating so meekly?" he asked .

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 has officially became a law after it got the assent of President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday. This came days after the bill was passed by both Houses of Parliament after marathon debate.
The Bill is facing challenges in the Supreme Court

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