Srinagar, Apr 04: The ruling National Conference (NC) and its alliance partners convened a legislative party meeting in Srinagar on Friday, where they passed two significant resolutions, calling on the central government to respect the democratic mandate of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The nearly two-hour-long meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, was held at the residence of Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary in Gupkar. National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah, cabinet ministers, all NC MLAs, four Congress legislators led by Chief Whip Nizamuddin Bhat, and independent lawmakers who support the government, were present.
The meeting comes amid growing tensions between the Raj Bhawan and the six-month-old NC-led government, especially after recent administrative decisions taken by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. The meeting also assumes importance ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s scheduled three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir starting April 6.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, NC Chief Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq announced that two resolutions had been unanimously passed. The first resolution strongly rejected the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025, calling it discriminatory and against the interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The second resolution urged the BJP-led central government to respect the democratic will of the people, an apparent reference to the recent administrative decisions made by the Lieutenant Governor’s office.
“We want to run the government with love and respect. But our silence should not be seen as our weakness,” Tanvir Sadiq said. “We are coordinating with the LG administration and the Government of India, but we will not tolerate any unjust or one-sided decisions. Don’t push us to the wall.”
He further said that the alliance remains united in defending the rights and aspirations of the people and will continue to engage constructively with the administration.
Congress leader and MLA Bandipora Nizamuddin Bhat, who also attended the meeting, said that all lawmakers are united and fully support the leadership of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
“We met to discuss both political and administrative matters that impact the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Bhat said.
He added that both long-term and short-term issues were discussed.
Bhat informed that two senior Congress leaders could not attend the meeting as they were preparing for another important meeting in Delhi. “They asked me to represent the party on their behalf,” Bhat said.
He further added that matters related to the Waqf Board, the need for a people-driven government, and public sentiments were discussed in detail. “We want to make it clear that even though some forces may try to disturb peace, we are united to protect democracy,” he said.
Calling the legislature a strong and credible institution that holds the people’s mandate, Bhat urged all political parties to stand together in maintaining peace and working for the development of Jammu and Kashmir.
