Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather has strongly opposed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, calling it unconstitutional and an encroachment on religious affairs.
Speaking to media persons in Srinagar, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, as per news agency JKNS, said that the bill goes against Article 25, which ensures the Right to Religion. He cautioned that meddling in religious and personal matters could set a worrying precedent.
Rather while clearing his stance, said, “No one should interfere in religious or personal matters.” He warned that disregarding constitutional protections in the name of reform could have serious consequences.
His comments follow the bill’s approval in Parliament after an intense debate that stretched for hours. The BJP-led NDA government defended the legislation as a move to bring transparency to Waqf management, while opposition leaders denounced it as an attack on Muslim institutions.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was introduced on Wednesday and, following a lengthy and heated discussion, was passed in the late hours between Wednesday and Thursday. (JKNS)
