Hakeem Yaseen Slams Ruling Party for Dodging Waqf Bill Debate, Accuses Govt of Acting Like Opposition
Srinagar, Apr 8, KNT: Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen, President of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) and former minister, launched a scathing attack on the ruling party Tuesday, accusing it of derailing legislative business by stalling discussions on the Waqf Amendment Bill.
Yaseen expressed serious concern over the government’s reluctance to address a matter that he said holds immense significance for the Muslim population in the region. “For the first time, we’re witnessing a ruling party sabotaging its own Assembly proceedings. Instead of leading the House, they’re mimicking the role of the opposition,” he said.
He pointed out that the Waqf Amendment Bill, which concerns the administration of religious and charitable endowments across Jammu and Kashmir, deserved urgent legislative attention.
“In a Muslim-majority region where more than 20 percent of the people are directly affected by Waqf affairs, the government’s indifference is deeply troubling,” Yaseen said, alleging that the ruling party’s conduct is aimed at stifling genuine debate and distracting the public.
Calling the government’s approach a “mockery of the public mandate,” he said that even if the matter is sub judice, there is ample room for legislative dialogue and clarification. “The people expected transparency, reform, and action—not silence and disruption,” he said.
Yaseen urged the government to stop politicizing Assembly proceedings and instead focus on fulfilling its legislative duties. “The Waqf Amendment Bill cannot be swept under the carpet. The people are watching, and history will not be kind to those who chose silence over responsibility,” he warned
