JK News Today
Srinagar, April 8: As there was a big uproar in the legislative Assembly over the Waqf (amendment) Act 2025 for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, in which the ruling National Conference sought to underline its opposition to the law, a very positive pathway has been shown by Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party and its leadership. The party has asked the Centre to reconsider the bill passed by both the Houses of the Parliament and approved by President Droupadi Murmu.
Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari read out resolution passed by the party leaders at an extraordinary meeting to deliberate on the subject on Monday underlining the necessity of a relook at the new legislation, which the Muslim community views as undermining of their rights, guaranteed to them like all other religious communities under Article 26 of the Indian constitution.
Altaf Bukhari was speaking both as a Muslim and Kashmir where peace is dear to one and all. His appeal to reconsider the Waqf Amendment Act 2025 is a sort of reminder to Delhi that its narrative of vast improvement in the situation in the past few years, which of course, is a reality too- that it needs to be accomplished. Home Minister Amit Shah, on a visit of Jammu and Kashmir, has also expressed the view that terrorism has been curbed but still short of mission accomplishment. That speaks of the gaps that still exist. Apni Party is suggesting bridging the gaps and taking the journey of peace forward to its real accomplishment.
There could be a question why Apni Party thinks that Government will have a rethink on the Waqf amendments when it did not do so in response to many MPs plea during the debate on the bill before its passage? There were majority of Opposition MPs who urged the government to withdraw the bill or make amendments which are reformatory in nature not intimidatory in intent and content. But the Government overruled all the objections and suggestions as it pressed with its argument that the amendments were needed for the welfare of poor Muslims- women and children – and transparency in the administration of Waqf assets. It also emphasized that the bill was secular in nature as along with Muslims, it will have non-Muslims too in the administrative bodies which will govern Waqf’s administrative bodies.
Apni Party’s chief Altaf Bukhari did repeat what was stated by Opposition MPs, but he spoke as a man and leader from the Kashmir Valley as one of the champions of secularism and communal between communities and regions. The voices coming from the Muslim majority region carry larger appeal and that too from Kashmir, where the Modi government has high stakes in showcasing the harmony and accommodation of different viewpoints.
Altaf Bukhari made a string appeal to the core of the thought of secularism in the country as he stated that he has no doubt that the Government is secular , but these thoughts must be expressed and exhibited through actions . “It is a religious matter and it matters to us, Muslims, the most. Everything else is secondary to us.”
Muslims in Kashmir are, and can be the highest and biggest assets for the Government at the Centre and the rest of the country. They are the ones who had said a categorical NO to the two-nation theory, declined to go with Pakistan. The times and history of 1947 bears a testimony to that.
The Apni Party also underlined that it is not the matter concerning Muslims, but also the democratic norms and protocol embedded in country’s landscape and soul. His plan to launch peaceful resistance” to the Waqf is not a threat but a call for dialogue with stakeholders. There are 20 crore plus Muslims in the country, and nearly one-twentieth of that population lives in J&K.
Way back in 1947, Mahatma Gandhi had seen a ray of hope in Kashmir. This time, , Apni Party is showing that spirit and urging the Government of India .to look at it with all positivity on their plea broadcasted from the soil of Kashmir
