Chaos reigned in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on April 6, 2025, when National Conference (NC) MLAs strongly objected to the Waqf Amendment Act, ripping apart copies of the bill as a protest. The acrimonious session witnessed NC legislators, led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, accusing the BJP-led central government of singling out Muslim institutions and violating religious autonomy.
Abdullah said the bill "appears to target a single religion," describing it as an effort to consolidate control over Waqf properties and minimize Muslim representation on Waqf boards.
The controversy arises from provisions in the bill that give powers to district collectors to decide whether a property is Waqf or government land, whose decision would be final.
They say this dilutes the intention behind Waqf property, which is being kept for religious and charitable purposes by the Muslim community. The bill also suggests greater non-Muslim representation in Waqf councils, generating apprehension of loss of control by the community.
The NC alliance, which is led by the NC, adopted resolutions denouncing the bill and calling on the Union government to uphold the people of Jammu and Kashmir's mandate. Protests against the bill have gained momentum throughout J&K, with religious leaders such as Mirwaiz Umar Farooq issuing warnings of mass resistance.
The furore is part of a larger concern regarding minority rights and federal overreach, with opposition parties terming the bill as unconstitutional and anti-minority.
