Srinagar: Political parties in Kashmir on Wednesday opposed the amendments made to the Waqf Act saying it was an interference in religious matters and an attempt to disempower Muslims.
Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday tabled the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha. The Bill seeks to improve the functioning of Waqf properties, address complexities, ensure transparency and introduce technology-driven management
Opposition parties have slammed it as “unconstitutional” and against the interest of the Muslim community.
“This bill is designed to disempower Muslims. I don’t have any hope with BJP as we have been seeing for the past 10-11 years how Muslims are lynched and mosques demolished… but the Hindu brethren should step forward because this is the nation of Gandhi, it should run as per the constitution,” PDP president Mehbooba Mufti told reporters here.
She said the secular forces should intervene to prevent the country becoming another Myanmar.
“They (Hindus) have to if they do not want another Myanmar here, if they do not want the same to happen to Muslims what happened to Kashmiri Pandits.
“So, people have to come forward and stop the injustice, the takeover of the Waqf board that is taking place now,” she added.
The former chief minister said if the people continue to remain mute spectators, “no one can stop the chaos in the country”. The BJP is breaking the country, she added.
People’s Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone also opposed the Waqf Bill amendments. Waqf by definition is the custodian of properties which are collectively owned by Muslims, he said.
“The proposed amendment by Parliament is a blatant interference in our faith aimed at divesting rightfully custodians of their authority. Yet another right wing trespass,” Lone said in a post on X.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said his party would not support the amendments as “only one religion is being targeted”.
“I have also said that every religion has its institutions and every religion has a charitable wing, and for us it is the Waqf,” he said.
Abdullah, the National Conference vice-president, added, “Targeting Waqf like this is very unfortunate… Now, it is up to Parliament. We cannot support this Bill. Our MPs will strongly oppose it.”
However, BJP leader Darakhshan Andrabi welcomed the amendments. “How does Waqf have so many properties but still Muslim brothers were poor? she said.
“Waqf has thousands of kanals of land, but despite that, a majority of Muslims were homeless and landless. The government, the PM, is thinking about these issues so that the Muslim community does not remain poor and gets all facilities,” Andrabi said.
