Sajad Lone dares Omar: Row over Waqf motion

Sajjad Lone, chief of Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference (PC), has sharply criticized NC (National Conference) chief Omar Abdullah for pulling back his party's support to the Waqf adjournment motion. Sajjad Lone asserted that there were discrepancies in Omar Abdullah's statement and his position was utterly unacceptable from a political viewpoint. He added that such inconsistencies would undermine the confidence of the Muslim community and the NC was not giving much heed to the calls for proper reforms or transparency in the Waqf Board.

The matter had triggered a big political controversy recently when there were allegations of mismanagement of Waqf properties in Jammu and Kashmir. The People's Conference, especially Sajad Lone, had brought a motion for reforms in the administration of the Waqf Board that was especially crucial for the Muslim community.  But Omar Abdullah declined to support the motion on behalf of his party that, as per Sajad Lone, was politically driven and raised questions over their commitment to the proper management of religious properties.

Sajad Lone interprets the NC's failure to back the Waqf adjournment motion as a chance, with the prime mover being political interests. He argues that this is not merely a political game, but an act of contempt against the Muslim community and a lapse from their core rights. This has introduced a new aspect, wherein the two national political parties, the NC and the People's Conference, have strongly opposed each other and has raised a new debate regarding the future of government and religious organizations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sajad Lone further added that the NC party has been politically active for many years, but there is no continuity of their activities and stand. Above all, the NC's stance regarding safeguarding the interests of the Muslim community and proper management of religious institutions has come into doubt. As per him, if the NC believed in their duty towards the Muslim community, they would have voted for the Waqf Board reform and favored such a motion.

The drama has caused new tension within the political atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir, in which the two dominant parties, the NC and the People's Conference, are establishing their bases more strongly. Politically, Sajad Lone's statement is not regarded as an individual criticism of Omar Abdullah, but as part of a political drive, which introduces a new philosophy of politics toward the Muslim people.