Jammu, Apr 07: Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and MLA Kulgam, Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami on Monday said Jammu and Kashmir legislators must raise their voices not only for the region but also for the minorities and secular fabric of the country, especially in light of the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025.
Tarigami was addressing media persons and fellow legislators during a protest outside the Legislative Assembly complex after the Speaker adjourned proceedings for the day. The adjournment followed a ruckus in the House after the Speaker disallowed a motion—primarily moved by National Conference legislators—to discuss the Waqf Act.
Citing Rule 58(7), the Speaker ruled that the matter was sub judice, as the Act had been challenged in the Supreme Court, and therefore could not be debated. The assembly faced multiple adjournments over the issue, with members from NC, Congress, and independents demanding a discussion on what they termed an “urgent matter.”
Later, legislators gathered on the steps of the Legislative Complex in protest. Addressing them, Tarigami called the Waqf Act “an assault on minorities and the secular fabric of the country”. He urged the people of Jammu and Kashmir not to be misled and lauded the 232 parliamentarians who voted against the bill.
“This Act is not just an attack on minorities, but also on the Constitution and the very idea of secularism,” he said. “We, as legislators, must rise above divisions of religion or region. This is our collective duty.”
MLA Kulgam said, “We have to do something not only about Jammu and Kashmir but also about the minority of the country and the secular fabrics of the country. This is our duty and voice against the Waqf (Amendment) Act.”
The CPI(M) leader mentioned attending a recent All India Conference in Madurai, where delegates from across the country denounced the Act. “No matter how the BJP tries to colour it, this is a question of our future,” he said.
He appealed to the people of Jammu to stand united, maintain peace and brotherhood, and raise a collective voice against the Act and any injustice. “The Speaker should have allowed discussion in the House. Our unity is our strength,” he said.
