NC running away from promises made with public; precious assembly hours being wasted over Waqf law ruckus: Raman Suri

JAMMU: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) executive member Raman Suri expressed his deep concern and disappointment over the ongoing uproar in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, led by the National Conference (NC), regarding the Waqf law—an issue that clearly falls outside the purview of the J&K Assembly.

This unnecessary disruption is wasting precious hours of the Assembly, which should instead be devoted to addressing the pressing needs and aspirations of the people of the state which NC had promised during electioneering.

The budget session, which resumed on Monday following the Eid and Navratri holidays, was anticipated to be a platform for meaningful discussions on private proposals, bills, and issues of public interest. However, the National Conference’s insistence on raising the Waqf law has derailed proceedings, plunging the House into chaos, Raman Suri said.

This is particularly disheartening at a time when the Speaker of the Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather, has taken a firm and commendable stand by disallowing debate on this matter, adhering strictly to the rules of the House. We appreciate Speaker Rather’s efforts to uphold the sanctity of the Assembly and ensure that its time is not squandered on matters beyond its jurisdiction.

Raman Suri said, It is unfortunate and unacceptable that the MLAs of the ruling party, particularly the National Conference, are unwilling to respect the Speaker’s decision. The ruling party bears a greater responsibility to ensure the smooth functioning of the House, yet it has chosen to fuel this ruckus, undermining the democratic process. Those disrupting proceedings too, have failed to rise above petty politics, contributing to the deadlock instead of focusing on constructive dialogue.

He added that people of Jammu and Kashmir have placed their trust in the government and its promises, expecting it to address critical issues such as development, infrastructure, and welfare in this first budget session of the new government—formed after a decade-long gap since the last Assembly elections. However, the continuous sloganeering and disruptions over the Waqf law are eroding public confidence in the legislative process.

The Assembly is not a platform for grandstanding or settling political scores—it is a sacred space meant to serve the people.

The Waqf law, as clarified by Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, is not within the ambit of the J&K Assembly’s legislative authority and is being contested in the Supreme Court. Attempts to debate it are futile, as such matters are governed by existing legal frameworks and institutions like the Waqf Boards. Moreover both houses of the Parliament have debated on the subject for multiple hours.

Any disputes or revisions related to this law are for the courts to adjudicate, not the Assembly. The new constitutional framework has already addressed these concerns, and there is no scope for the Assembly to intervene in what is essentially a settled matter. Raising this issue now is nothing more than a distraction from the real challenges facing the state.

Raman Suri said that elected representatives of the ruling party must cease this wasteful disruption and redirect their energies toward fulfilling the aspirations of the people. The time of the Assembly is a valuable resource that must be utilized to discuss developmental agendas, public welfare schemes, and solutions to regional problems—not squandered on issues that serve no purpose other than political posturing.

We stand firm in our commitment to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and call for an immediate end to this chaos. Let the Assembly function as it was intended—to serve the public, not to stage unnecessary confrontations, he asserted.