Omar Abdullah’s government faced protests in the Assembly and outside on Monday after Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather disallowed a debate on the Centre’s Waqf Act, seen as an anti-Muslim law.

The chief minister later rubbed salt into the critics’ wounds by getting photographed with Union minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju, who had introduced the waqf bill in Parliament, at Srinagar’s famed Tulip Garden.

The Speaker cited technicalities, such as the Act being sub judice, to disallow the adjournment motion that sought the debate. His decision left senior politicians, who included members of the ruling National Conference, seething.

Many wondered how a debate on the Act was denied in a Muslim-majority region when some other states had allowed one.

BJP members welcomed the Speaker’s decision by thumping their desks. The House was adjourned twice amid pandemonium before being adjourned for the day.

National Conference MLAs had moved the motion, which received support from other non-BJP members.

Seeking a debate, National Conference member Tanvir Sadiq stressed that Jammu and Kashmir was a Muslim-majority region. The BJP’s Sunil Sharma objected to a debate and accused the rival group of enacting a drama.

Several MLAs tore up papers, angering BJP legislators who tried to stop them.

“The bill is currently sub judice in the Supreme Court. I have received writ petitions. It cannot be debated here,” the Speaker said and referred to Rule 58, Sub-section 7.

Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti castigated the government in a post on X.

“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,”
she wrote.

She underlined how the Tamil Nadu government had “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,” Mufti said.

Moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said it was “ridiculous and condemnable” that Tamil Nadu, where Muslims are only 6 per cent of the population, had passed a strong resolution against the Waqf Act in its Assembly, but “Muslim-majority J&K Assembly Speaker is… hiding behind technicalities….”

“The Speaker would know that the strong people’s 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?” the Mirwaiz said.

Omar faced further backlash after Rijiju shared pictures showing him with a smiling chief minister and his father, Farooq Abdullah, at Tulip Garden.

“A refreshing morning walk amid the vibrant hues of the Tulip Garden in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, with Hon’ble CM Shri @OmarAbdullah ji and also glad to meet Dr Farooq Abdullah sahab. Nature at its finest & conversations filled with warmth & vision, a truly special morning,” Rijiju wrote.

People’s Conference chairman Sajad Lone said the “least Muslims of India deserved was that in J and K, the only Muslim-majority province in India, the CM as a mark of protest stays away from Mr Kiren Rijiju, who presented the waqf bill”.

“Instead he tags along Farooq sahib as well. What a shame,” Lone wrote.