Srinagar: Senior All Parties Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has criticized the Speaker of the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) Assembly for not addressing the contentious Waqf Amendment Bill, recently passed by the Indian parliament. In a statement, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who also leads the Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid Srinagar, labeled the Speaker’s reluctance as a betrayal of public trust.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Farooq highlighted the contrast between the actions of the IIOJK Assembly and the Tamil Nadu legislature. He noted that Tamil Nadu, with a mere 6% Muslim population, managed to pass a strong resolution opposing the Waqf bill, whereas the IIOJK Assembly, despite being in a Muslim-majority region, has not taken a firm stance on the matter.

Mirwaiz expressed his discontent by stating, “It is ridiculous and condemnable that Tamil Nadu, which only has 6% Muslim population, passes a strong anti-Waqf resolution in its assembly, while the Muslim-majority Kashmir Assembly Speaker is struggling and refusing, by hiding behind technicalities, to discuss this deeply concerning issue for the Muslims of the state.”

He reminded the Speaker of the National Conference’s electoral promise to protect Muslim rights following the significant political changes in August 2019. Farooq questioned the Speaker’s commitment to this mandate, asking why there is a lack of decisive action on such a critical issue.

“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?” he asked.

The statement by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq underscores the tension and dissatisfaction among certain political factions within IIOJK regarding the handling of the Waqf Amendment Bill and reflects broader concerns about representation and autonomy in the region’s legislative affairs.