Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met Union Minister Kiren Rijiju at Asia’s largest Tulip Garden here, a meeting which drew flak from opposition parties which dubbed it as “Waqf law bonhomie”. National Conference president Farooq Abdullah was also present during the meeting.
Opposition parties in the Jammu and Kashmir took a dig at CM Omar Abdullah and National Conference Patron Farooq Abdullah for joining the Union Minority Minister Kiren Rijiju at Asia’s largest Tulip Garden in Srinagar.
The Minority Minister had said that “A refreshing morning walk amid the vibrant hues of the Tulip Garden in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, with Hon’ble CM Shri @OmarAbdullah ji and glad to meet Dr Farooq Abdullah Sahab. Nature at its finest & conversations filled with warmth & vision, a truly special morning.”
However, the political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir have started questioning Omar Abdullah saying that the Minority Affairs minister introduced the WAQF bill in the parliament and Omar is rolling the red carpet for him.
Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference leader Sajad alone said That “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 Rijju, who presented the waqf bill. Instead, he tags along Farooq sahib as well. What a shame.”
Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti’s Daughter Iltija Mufti also criticized the move and said “What’s left to say when the Chief Minister of India’s only Muslim majority state gives a red-carpet welcome to the BJP minister who introduced the Waqf bill meant to disempower & debilitate Muslims? Stands in stark contrast to the Tamil Nadu CM who showed spine by swiftly introducing a resolution against the Waqf bill.”
Meanwhile, Mehbooba Mufti spoke about the WAQF motion not being allowed by the speaker in the JK Assembly. “It’s profoundly disappointing that the speaker of the J & K Assembly has rejected the motion on the Waqf Bill. 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. The National Conference (NC) could learn from Tamil Nadu’s government, which has 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.”
Meanwhile apart from mainstream political parties separatist also targeted government Mirwaiz Umar Farooq wrote on X “ It is ridiculous and condemnable that Tamil Nadu which only has 6% Muslim population, passes a strong anti Wakf resolution in its assembly, while the Muslim majority J&K assembly speaker is struggling and refusing , by hiding behind technicalities, to discuss this deeply concerting issue for the Muslims of the state. The speaker would know that the strong peoples mandate given to his party was precisely because 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 ?”.
